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/main/lesson_0_comments.ipynb

Image transcription:

from lib import add

# Go ahead and change the comments.
# See how python uses them as arguments.

result = add()  # 1 2
print(result)
result = add()  # 3 4
print(result)
result = add()  # 3 4 5 20
print(result)

Output:

3
7
32
  • justcallmelarry@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    10 hours ago

    The add() function (that is available in the source code) basically uses some built in debugging tools to find out where in the code the function is called, and then parses the comment from the file and uses it for adding stuff.

    I’ve never tried (becuse why would you…) but something similar can probably be built in any interpreted language

    It’s not something Python does by design

    • N0x0n@lemmy.ml
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      10 hours ago

      Thanks :) ! Could you tell me what use case/purpose such function can have from a dev perspective?

      • bjorney@lemmy.ca
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        9 hours ago

        This stuff is normally used for creating human readable error messages. E.g. printing the line of your code that actually set off the exception

      • McWizard@lemmy.zip
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        8 hours ago

        We actually use method comments for user documentation as well. Only on specific business methods, but it’s nice to have a good comment for the dev and a tooltip for the user at the same time.

      • justcallmelarry@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        10 hours ago

        This specific use case? To make a meme, mainly ¯\(ツ)

        As for the components: Parsing comments have been used for stuff like type hints / formatting / linting, tho generally not at run time (afaik).

        The tooling for finding out where something is called from can be used to give a better understanding of where things go wrong when an exception happens or similar, to add to logs.

        I would say that in general you don’t need either functionality except for certain edge-usecases