Improved PySet C API

[warsaw]

BPO	1458476
Nosy	@gvanrossum, @warsaw, @rhettinger
Files	set.diff

^{Note: these values reflect the state of the issue at the time it was migrated and might not reflect the current state.}

Show more details

GitHub fields:

assignee = 'https://github.com/warsaw'
closed_at = <Date 2006-03-30.22:46:53.000>
created_at = <Date 2006-03-25.22:48:56.000>
labels = ['interpreter-core']
title = 'Improved PySet C API'
updated_at = <Date 2006-03-30.22:46:53.000>
user = 'https://github.com/warsaw'

bugs.python.org fields:

activity = <Date 2006-03-30.22:46:53.000>
actor = 'barry'
assignee = 'barry'
closed = True
closed_date = None
closer = None
components = ['Interpreter Core']
creation = <Date 2006-03-25.22:48:56.000>
creator = 'barry'
dependencies = []
files = ['7102']
hgrepos = []
issue_num = 1458476
keywords = ['patch']
message_count = 5.0
messages = ['49863', '49864', '49865', '49866', '49867']
nosy_count = 3.0
nosy_names = ['gvanrossum', 'barry', 'rhettinger']
pr_nums = []
priority = 'normal'
resolution = 'accepted'
stage = None
status = 'closed'
superseder = None
type = None
url = 'https://bugs.python.org/issue1458476'
versions = ['Python 2.5']

[warsaw]

This patch adds PySet_Next(), PySet_Update(), and
PySet_Clear(), three very useful API calls when you're
dealing with concrete PySet objects.

Patch includes tests and documentation.

[rhettinger]

Logged In: YES
user_id=80475

Guido, please reject this patch.

I laid-out my reasoning in these two posts:

http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-March/062652.html
http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-March/062737.html

In particular, I've found PySet_Next() to be disasterously
error-prone (and have had to fix several hard-to-find bugs
directly attributable this function). There was some need
for it in the PyDict API because it fetched key and value
pointers at the same time and allowed direct modification
of values. This of course does not apply to sets which do
not have a value field.

The PySet_Clear() function should be PyObject_Clear() like
other functions that have tp_slots. There is no more of a
case for this function than there would be for PySet_Repr,
PySet_Len, PySet_IsTrue, or PySet_Print.

The PySet_Update() function gets in the way of my future
development plans for this module.

None of these functions are necessary. They simply
reflect Barry's programming style and views on having fat,
overly-concrete APIs.

This patch is against my wishes for the module. As the
module author and principal maintainer, if I still have a
say in the module's development, I strongly prefer
rejection of this patch.

[rhettinger]

Logged In: YES
user_id=80475

FWIW, I'm open to PyObject_Clear() for an abstract access
to the tp_clear slot.

Also, for Barry's use only, I'm open to a semi-private
_PySet_Next() that isn't part of the official API but
gives a Barry-specific hook. It should not be a public
function because of all the problems with the approach.

Likewise, _PySet_Update() could be done just for Barry's
group. I need to keep PySet_Update() open until Py2.6
since the API may evolve to allow a variable length
argument list.

[gvanrossum]

Logged In: YES
user_id=6380

I'm rejecting this unread, because I'm not ready to jump
into this issue. The discussion should continue without me.

[warsaw]

Logged In: YES
user_id=12800

r43465