[IPython-user] Is ipython too nosy?

[Fernando Perez]

Hey Alex,

On 01 Mar 2007 01:20:01 +0000, Alexander Schmolck <a.schmolck@gmx.net> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I would have expected that ipython's (default) policy when the user enters a
> line that constitutes a valid python expression and presses return would be to
> evaluate the whole expression and not attempt any form of introspection on any
> of the constituents.

Life is complicated :)  I don't have time right now for a detailed
discussion, unfortunately, but could you please try SVN trunk (r >=
2122)?  Its behavior should be a LOT better than before (attribs.py
contains your little class definition):

tlon[test]> ip
Python 2.4.4c1 (#2, Oct 11 2006, 21:51:02)
Type "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.

IPython 0.7.4.svn.r2120 -- An enhanced Interactive Python.
?       -> Introduction to IPython's features.
%magic  -> Information about IPython's 'magic' % functions.
help    -> Python's own help system.
object? -> Details about 'object'. ?object also works, ?? prints more.

In [1]: run attribs.py
getattr:  bar

In [2]: f.this('is bad')
getattr:  this
Out[2]: 'nada'

In [3]: f.plot([1,2,3], '-o')
getattr:  plot
Out[3]: 'nada'

Note that all kinds of things can trigger getattr, even outside of ipython:

tlon[test]> python
Python 2.4.4c1 (#2, Oct 11 2006, 21:51:02)
[GCC 4.1.2 20060928 (prerelease) (Ubuntu 4.1.1-13ubuntu5)] on linux2
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> execfile('attribs.py')
getattr:  bar

like calling dir():

>>> dir(f)
getattr:  __members__
getattr:  __methods__
['__class__', '__delattr__', '__dict__', '__doc__', '__getattr__',
'__getattribute__', '__hash__', '__init__', '__module__', '__new__',
'__reduce__', '__reduce_ex__', '__repr__', '__setattr__', '__str__',
'__weakref__']
>>>

or hitting TAB (right after 'f.'):

>>> f.getattr:  __members__
getattr:  __methods__

f.__class__         f.__getattr__       f.__module__        f.__repr__
f.__delattr__       f.__getattribute__  f.__new__           f.__setattr__
f.__dict__          f.__hash__          f.__reduce__        f.__str__
f.__doc__           f.__init__          f.__reduce_ex__     f.__weakref__


So in general it is a good idea to have objects that respond as
robustly as possible to getattr() calls.

However, the points you made were most certainly bugs, and I hope they
are resolved now.  Please let me know how it goes for you.

regards,

f