On Dec 25, 7:24 am, Steven D'Aprano <st...@remove-this- cybersource.com.au> wrote: > On Wed, 24 Dec 2008 16:59:23 -0800, Mike Driscoll wrote: > >> Among my questions are: > >> """ A little thread we've added""" seems to be an isolated string. It > >> does not seem to be doing anything there, almost like a comment. Why is > >> it there? > > > That's what some people call a doc string. > > Other people call it "Maurice". *wink* > > A doc[umentation] string is the accepted name for it. Anytime a function, > class or module starts immediately with a loan string, that string is > stored by the Python compiler in an attribute __doc__. E.g.: > > >>> def parrot(x): > > ... "This is a doc string." > ... return "Norwegian Blue" > ...>>> parrot.__doc__ > > 'This is a doc string.' > > > It is like a comment in that > > it helps the user know what the function is for. Notice the triple > > quotes. > > Triple quotes are a red herring. Any string literal will do. > > -- > Steven
Thanks for clearing that up. I suppose that's more of a recommended style choice than a requirement. I'm pretty sure some of the Python books I've read have implied that the triple quotes matter...oh well. Live and learn. Merry Christmas! Mike -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list