I really think the problem is that you are trying to use techniques whose only reason for existing is that they make up for deficiencies in other languages:
For example, the *reason* for the Java or C++ use of get/set methods is to allow for the future possibility of needing to make those operations dynamic. Python solves this by allowing you to create get/set methods *only when needed* by using "properties", using exactly the same interface as provided by ordinary attributes. Thus there is no need to artificially add get/set methods in the general case. This results in much cleaner and more concise code. The *reason* for taking so much care that a variable is of the right type in classes in C++ or Java is because the program will crash if they are not. In Python, you would be better served to: 1) Assume the variables are of a sensible type (not necessarily the one you expected, though), and provide exception handling to catch the case where their interface does not match what you expect. 2) Check for the specific interface methods that you need, only (if all you plan to do is read from a "file", you shouldn't worry about whether the "file" object you've been handed actually has a "write" method or not). This is often called "duck typing". 3) Use "interfaces" (either from Zope or PyProtocols) to specify the required *behavior* (not type). Let's face it -- should it matter if you "are a programmer" or only if you "can program"? This is the difference in philosophy behind a dynamically-typed language like Python and a statically typed one like Java. -- Terry Hancock ( hancock at anansispaceworks.com ) Anansi Spaceworks http://www.anansispaceworks.com -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
