On 30 Jan 2006 16:29:15 -0800 "dmh2000" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I recently complained elsewhere that Python doesn't have > multiline comments. i was told to use triple quoted > strings to make multiline comments. My question is that > since a triple quoted string is actually a language > construct, does it use cause a runtime construction of a > string which is then discarded, or is the runtime smart > enough to see that it isn't used and so it doesn't > construct it? > > example > > def fun(self): > """doc comment > comment line 2 > """
This is specifically a "docstring" so it remains attached as an attribute of fun: fun.__doc__ > x = 1 > y = 2 > > """does this triple quoted string used as a comment > cause something to happen at runtime beyond > just skipping over it? Such as allocation of memory > for a string or worse yet garbage collection? or > not? > """ This string is really unused. It will produce a value when processed the first time, but it's not bound so it gets immediately garbage-collected. And it won't be there after the module is byte-compiled. So, you lose a little time the very first time the file is used (but that's technically true for a regular comment too -- I think this loses you a little more time). But it's pretty trivial in practice, because every subsequent time, it's gone. > z = x + y At least, this is how I understand it. Cheers, Terry -- Terry Hancock ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) Anansi Spaceworks http://www.AnansiSpaceworks.com -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
