Groups | Search | Server Info | Keyboard shortcuts | Login | Register [http] [https] [nntp] [nntps]

Groups > comp.lang.python > #10564

Re: Function "modes" vs. separate functions

Show all headers | View raw

Andrew Berg <bahamutzero8825@gmail.com> writes:

> On 2011.07.29 07:50 PM, Steven D'Aprano wrote:
> > Especially if the implementation looks like this:
> > 
> > def get_thing(argument, flag):
> >     if flag:
> >         return one_thing(argument)
> >     else:
> >         return another_thing(argument)
> > 
> Well, that would be annoying, but wouldn't it be even more annoying to
> do this:
> def get_one_thing(arg):
> 	return one_thing(arg)
>
> def get_another_thing(arg):
> 	return another_thing(arg)

Yes, of course it would be; and even more pointless.

The right thing to do is to call ‘one_thing(argument)’ or
‘another_thing(argument)’ directly.

The greater point is that, since the flag simply switches between
different “things” to do, then that's better communicated in code by
calling differently-named functions that each do one thing.

> Creating separate functions for two thing that do almost the same
> thing seem more of a nuisance to me, especially if they share a lot of
> code that isn't easily separated into other functions.

If they share a lot of code, either it *is* separable to common
functions (in which case, implement it that way), or the “same thing”
code is sufficiently complex that it's better to show it explicitly.

But this is all getting rather generic and abstract. What specific
real-world examples do you have in mind?

-- 
 \          “It is clear that thought is not free if the profession of |
  `\           certain opinions makes it impossible to earn a living.” |
_o__)  —Bertrand Russell, _Free Thought and Official Propaganda_, 1928 |
Ben Finney

Back to comp.lang.python | Previous | Next — Previous in thread | Next in thread | Find similar | Unroll thread

Thread

PyWart: os.path needs immediate attention! rantingrick <rantingrick@gmail.com> - 2011-07-29 10:22 -0700
  Re: PyWart: os.path needs immediate attention! Andrew Berg <bahamutzero8825@gmail.com> - 2011-07-29 12:53 -0500
    Re: PyWart: os.path needs immediate attention! harrismh777 <harmar@member.fsf.org> - 2011-07-29 14:41 -0500
      Re: PyWart: os.path needs immediate attention! "Waldek M." <wm@localhost.localdomain> - 2011-07-29 21:55 +0200
    Re: PyWart: os.path needs immediate attention! Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-07-30 10:50 +1000
      Function "modes" vs. separate functions (was: PyWart: os.path needs immediate attention!) Andrew Berg <bahamutzero8825@gmail.com> - 2011-07-29 20:15 -0500
        Re: Function "modes" vs. separate functions Ben Finney <ben+python@benfinney.id.au> - 2011-07-30 11:57 +1000
          Re: Function "modes" vs. separate functions Andrew Berg <bahamutzero8825@gmail.com> - 2011-07-29 21:28 -0500
      Re: PyWart: os.path needs immediate attention! Terry Reedy <tjreedy@udel.edu> - 2011-07-30 09:48 -0400
      Re: PyWart: os.path needs immediate attention! Robert Kern <robert.kern@gmail.com> - 2011-07-30 23:31 -0400
  Re: PyWart: os.path needs immediate attention! Teemu Likonen <tlikonen@iki.fi> - 2011-07-29 23:07 +0300
    Re: PyWart: os.path needs immediate attention! Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2011-07-30 10:57 +1000
      Re: PyWart: os.path needs immediate attention! Teemu Likonen <tlikonen@iki.fi> - 2011-08-01 11:19 +0300
        Re: PyWart: os.path needs immediate attention! rantingrick <rantingrick@gmail.com> - 2011-08-02 09:03 -0700
          Re: PyWart: os.path needs immediate attention! Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-08-02 17:36 +0100
  Re: PyWart: os.path needs immediate attention! Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-07-30 06:25 +1000
  Re: PyWart: os.path needs immediate attention! Corey Richardson <kb1pkl@aim.com> - 2011-07-29 16:44 -0400
  Re: PyWart: os.path needs immediate attention! Alister Ware <alister.ware@ntlworld.com> - 2011-07-29 21:21 +0000
    Re: PyWart: os.path needs immediate attention! Andrew Berg <bahamutzero8825@gmail.com> - 2011-07-29 16:36 -0500
  Re: PyWart: os.path needs immediate attention! Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-07-30 07:43 +1000
  Re: PyWart: os.path needs immediate attention! Terry Reedy <tjreedy@udel.edu> - 2011-07-29 19:30 -0400
  Re: PyWart: os.path needs immediate attention! Michael Poeltl <michael.poeltl@univie.ac.at> - 2011-07-30 02:30 +0200
    Re: PyWart: os.path needs immediate attention! Grant Edwards <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2011-07-30 15:33 +0000
      Re: PyWart: os.path needs immediate attention! Andrew Berg <bahamutzero8825@gmail.com> - 2011-07-30 10:56 -0500
        Re: PyWart: os.path needs immediate attention! alex23 <wuwei23@gmail.com> - 2011-08-02 23:52 -0700
  Re: PyWart: os.path needs immediate attention! Dennis Lee Bieber <wlfraed@ix.netcom.com> - 2011-07-29 22:17 -0700
  Re: PyWart: os.path needs immediate attention! Gelonida N <gelonida@gmail.com> - 2011-08-03 11:52 +0200

csiph-web