this post was submitted on 21 Nov 2024
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Programmer Humor

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Python allows programmers to pass additional arguments to functions via comments. Now armed with this knowledge head out and spread it to all code bases.

Feel free to use the code I wrote in your projects.

Link to the source code: https://github.com/raldone01/python_lessons_py/blob/v2.0.0/lesson_0_comments.ipynb

Image transcription:

# First we have to import comment_arguments from arglib
# Sadly arglib is not yet a standard library.
from arglib import comment_arguments


def add(*args, **kwargs):
    c_args, c_kwargs = comment_arguments()
    return sum([int(i) for i in args + c_args])


# Go ahead and change the comments.
# See how they are used as arguments.

result = add()  # 1, 2
print(result)
# comment arguments can be combined with normal function arguments
result = add(1, 2)  # 3, 4
print(result)

Output:

3
10

This is version v2.0.0 of the post: https://github.com/raldone01/python_lessons_py/tree/v2.0.0

Note:

v1.0.0 of the post can be found here: https://github.com/raldone01/python_lessons_py/tree/v1.0.0

Choosing lib as the name for my module was a bit devious. I did it because I thought if I am creating something cursed why not go all the way?

Regarding misinformation:

I thought simply posting this in programmer humor was enough. Anyways, the techniques shown here are not yet regarded best practice. Decide carefully if you want to apply the shown concepts in your own code bases.

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[–] perviouslyiner@lemmy.world 49 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

Seen in a C++ code review (paraphrased):

image of a program which is estimating the size of an array by counting how many lines of source code were used to construct it

"Why does this break when you add comments in the middle?"

[–] bleistift2@sopuli.xyz 14 points 6 days ago (3 children)

Why would python even expose the current line number? What’s it useful for?

[–] raldone01@lemmy.world 34 points 6 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

On a serious note:

This feature is actually very useful. Libraries can use it create neat error messages. It is also needed when logging information to a file.

You should however never ever parse the source code and react to it differently.

[–] Dicska@lemmy.world 19 points 6 days ago

You underestimate the power of us, print debuggers.

[–] hackerwacker@lemmy.ml 13 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Why wouldn't it? Lots of languages do. In C++ you have __LINE__.

[–] ddplf@szmer.info -2 points 6 days ago

Because it doesn't seem like a useful feature. The only occasion I imagine this could be helpful is with logging to the console to track when the function breaks, but even then - still trivial to replace.