mod_speling for python

[PT]

Hi,
I'm not looking to get into a debate about case-sensitive vs.
insensitive programming languages,
but I was looking for suggestions about how it might be possible to
add a hook to the python parser similar to the Apache mod_speling
module (links below). So that for example if there is a NameError
exception, python walks the globals() and locals() to see if it might
be just a minor spelling/capitalization error.

I can see how this might be done for ImportErrors, using ihooks or iu,
but I don't see how to do it for NameErrors. The python compiler
module doesn't seem to be the answer.

I know there are drawbacks, disadvantages, this is "evil", etc. I
only wanted to know what ways there are to add such a hook if it is
possible without altering the C source for python itself.

Possible End-User Solution A:
Simply add an "import spelling" to a python file to enable
spell-checking, sort of like how you use the psyco module (speaking of
which, how many times have you misspelled that).

Possible End-User Solution B:
Create an alternative executable that wraps the python interpreter.
This wrapper may or may not have to use its own source code parser,
like the unreleased mobius-python project.

http://httpd.apache.org/docs/mod/mod_speling.html

http://lxr.webperf.org/source.cgi/modules/mappers/mod_speling.c

http://www.mcmillan-inc.com/importhooks.html

http://www.python.org/doc/current/lib/module-compiler.html

http://sourceforge.net/projects/mobiuspython

[Skip Montanaro]

Re: mod_speling for python


prtk3> ... if there is a NameError exception, python walks the globals()
prtk3> and locals() to see if it might be just a minor
prtk3> spelling/capitalization error.

prtk3> I can see how this might be done for ImportErrors, using ihooks
prtk3> or iu, but I don't see how to do it for NameErrors. The python
prtk3> compiler module doesn't seem to be the answer.

prtk3> I know there are drawbacks, disadvantages, this is "evil", etc.
prtk3> I only wanted to know what ways there are to add such a hook if
prtk3> it is possible without altering the C source for python itself.

Take a look at sys.excepthook. Actual implementation is left as an exercise
for the reader. <wink>

Skip

[Harald Massa]

Re: mod_speling for python

> prtk3> I know there are drawbacks, disadvantages, this is "evil",[color=blue]
> etc. prtk3> I only wanted to know what ways there are to add such
> a hook if prtk3> it is possible without altering the C source for
> python itself.
>
> Take a look at sys.excepthook. Actual implementation is left as an
> exercise for the reader. <wink>[/color]

And be carefull: it breaks the Zen of Python and thereby removes it's mojo.

[Josiah Carlson]

Re: mod_speling for python

> I know there are drawbacks, disadvantages, this is "evil", etc. I[color=blue]
> only wanted to know what ways there are to add such a hook if it is
> possible without altering the C source for python itself.[/color]

Ambiguities during execution are bad. I've got two functions Foo and
foO, if I type in foo, what did I mean?

- Josiah

[Skip Montanaro]

Re: mod_speling for python

[color=blue][color=green]
>> I know there are drawbacks, disadvantages, this is "evil", etc. I
>> only wanted to know what ways there are to add such a hook if it is
>> possible without altering the C source for python itself.[/color][/color]

Josiah> Ambiguities during execution are bad. I've got two functions
Josiah> Foo and foO, if I type in foo, what did I mean?

I didn't interpret the OP's question as wanting to automatically map Foo to
foO, but to give the user a more helpful error message, suggesting other
candidate names which he might have mistyped.

Skip