question regarding Guido's main article

[Christopher Baus]

Hi,

I'm new to Python and am learning the languge for writing test scripts for
C++.

I just finished reading this:

http://www.artima.com/weblogs/viewpost.jsp?thread=4829

article. Coming from C++ I am a bit confused about the relationship of
the interpreter to main. I think I understand the __name__ variable, it
just doesn't work as expected.

I implemented a script using the form described in the article. The then
did:
[color=blue]
> python[color=green][color=darkred]
>>> execfile("myscr ipt.py")[/color][/color][/color]

This immediately called my main function, which should have only been
called if __name__ == "__main__".

What I expect was that __name__ would be something other than __main__ and
I would be put back at the prompt for instance...
[color=blue][color=green][color=darkred]
>>> execfile("myscr ipt.py")
>>> foobar = "foo and a bar"
>>> main(foobar)[/color][/color][/color]

That way I could pass any arguments to main or do processing before
calling main. The article mentions calling main from the interactive
prompt, I just don't see how to do this.

Thanks for your help...

--
Christopher Baus

http://www.baus.net/

Tahoe, Wine, and Linux. What more could you ask for?

[Bruno Desthuilliers]

Re: question regarding Guido's main article

Christopher Baus wrote:[color=blue]
> Hi,
>
> I'm new to Python and am learning the languge for writing test scripts for
> C++.
>
> I just finished reading this:
>
> http://www.artima.com/weblogs/viewpost.jsp?thread=4829
>
> article. Coming from C++ I am a bit confused about the relationship of
> the interpreter to main. I think I understand the __name__ variable, it
> just doesn't work as expected.
>
> I implemented a script using the form described in the article. The then
> did:
>[color=green]
>>python
>>[color=darkred]
>>>>execfile("m yscript.py")[/color][/color]
>
>
> This immediately called my main function, which should have only been
> called if __name__ == "__main__".[/color]

But then __name__ *was* '__main__'.
[color=blue]
> What I expect was that __name__ would be something other than __main__ and
> I would be put back at the prompt for instance...
>
>[color=green][color=darkred]
>>>>execfile("m yscript.py")
>>>>foobar = "foo and a bar"
>>>>main(foobar )[/color][/color][/color]

For this, you have to use the import statement:
[color=blue][color=green][color=darkred]
>>>import myscript
>>>foobar = "foo and a bar"
>>>myscript.mai n(foobar).[/color][/color][/color]

Note that 'myscript.py' must be in the sys.path for import to work
correctly.

HTH
Bruno