[Python-Dev] Definining properties - a use case for classdecorators?

Wed Oct 19 22:23:35 CEST 2005

Guido van Rossum wrote:
> OK, so how's this for a radical proposal.
>> Let's change the property built-in so that its arguments can be either
> functions or strings (or None). If they are functions or None, it
> behaves exactly like it always has.
>> If an argument is a string, it should be a method name, and the method
> is looked up by that name each time the property is used. Because this
> is late binding, it can be put before the method definitions, and a
> subclass can override the methods. Example:
>> class C:
>> foo = property('getFoo', 'setFoo', None, 'the foo property')
>> def getFoo(self):
> return self._foo
>> def setFoo(self, foo):
> self._foo = foo
>> What do you think?

+1 from here.
> If you can think of a solution that looks better than mine, you're a genius.

letting "class" inject a slightly magic "self" variable into the class namespace ?
 class C:
 foo = property(self.getFoo, self.setFoo, None, 'the foo property')
 def getFoo(self):
 return self._foo
 def setFoo(self, foo):
 self._foo = foo
(figuring out exactly what "self" should be is left as an exercise etc)
</F>