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Re: Total newbie question: Best practice

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On 2011-11-29, Arnaud Delobelle <arnodel@gmail.com> wrote:
> As for the main() function, I don't think it is standard
> practice in Python.  There is no requirement to have a main()
> function.  You can use the idiom:

I don't start off with a main function, but if my script gets
long and complicated, or if global names have proliferated and
have become confusing, I'll refactor the whole thing into
functions, including a "main". With most globals moved into
main's namespace, calling subroutines from main forces me to
define the context that's actually necessary for each part of the
program.

The resultant refactored programs are much easier to test, read
and maintain.

TLDR: "Called-only-once" functions like main are useful as
documentation, hooks for testing, and for unraveling a snarl of
global variables.

-- 
Neil Cerutti

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Thread

Total newbie question: Best practice Colin Higwell <colinh@somewhere.invalid> - 2011-11-29 20:06 +0000
  Re: Total newbie question: Best practice Arnaud Delobelle <arnodel@gmail.com> - 2011-11-29 20:34 +0000
    Re: Total newbie question: Best practice Neil Cerutti <neilc@norwich.edu> - 2011-11-29 21:12 +0000
  Re: Total newbie question: Best practice Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2011-11-30 07:36 +1100
  Re: Total newbie question: Best practice Dave Angel <d@davea.name> - 2011-11-29 16:57 -0500
    Re: Total newbie question: Best practice Colin Higwell <colinh@somewhere.invalid> - 2011-11-29 23:08 +0000
  RE: Total newbie question: Best practice Shambhu Rajak <Shambhu.Rajak@kpitcummins.com> - 2011-11-30 08:50 +0000
  Re: Total newbie question: Best practice "Pedro Henrique G. Souto" <pedro.h.souto@gmail.com> - 2011-11-30 09:36 -0200

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