In <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, per9000 wrote: > I just used a search engine a little on this topic and I found no > comprehensive list of magic names in python.
They are usually mentioned in parts of the docs where the relevant functionality is explained. For example in `Special method names`_ in the reference manual. And of course all covered in the reference manual are under `_ (underscore)`_ in its index. In the `library reference's index`_ you'll find some more that are used by modules. .. _`_ (underscore)`: http://docs.python.org/ref/genindex.html#letter-_ .. _library reference's index: http://docs.python.org/lib/genindex.html .. _Special method names: http://docs.python.org/ref/specialnames.html > * are these lists complete or can magic names be added over time (to > the python "core")? Magic names can be added over time. For example the ``with`` statement introduced `__enter__()` and `__exit__()` in Python 2.5. And some special names may even change were the docs say so or if they aren't mentioned at all in the docs. > * are magic names the same in different python versions? Yes. > So another question emerges: > * is the use of magic names encouraged and/or part of good coding > practice. What do you mean by "use"? Implement them to override behavior? Yes, that's their purpose. Invent new magic names? No of course not, they are special for a reason: preventing name clashes with the user's names. Ciao, Marc 'BlackJack' Rintsch -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
