Re: [Rest2web-develop] Added an 'ip_addr' IPv4 address value test...

[Nicola L. <ni...@te...>]

>> This ambiguity of code tests and value tests is tiring me. What if we
>> called "checks" the value tests, and just "test" the code tests? I'll
>> shoulder the burden of updating docstrings *and* documentation, if you agree.

> So tests are the doctests and validate performs 'checks' on values.
> 
> Ok - *but* are you going to rename the ``Validator.test`` method to
> ``Validator.check`` ?

Of course. :-)


> I have to recode the Validator support (and therefore the docs) in
> ConfigObj anyway - so I'll implement whatever we decide.

I'm for consistency (where useful), so I'd use "check" wherever it's
visible to the (programmer) user, either docs or API.


> I'm liking what you've done with validate.
> Thanks for reformatting the docs as well - writing docs on a PDA is
> *hard* :-)

I am unable to leave well alone what looks even slightly misplaced. ;-)


> Do you think the ``import socket, struct`` belongs in the body of the
> module ? This means that importing validate *automatically* imports
> socket.. a heavy dependency for just one of the checks.

What's the problem? Isn't it in the std lib anyway?


> How about in the body of the module : ::
> 
>     socket = None
>     struct = None
> 
> In the check :
> 
> def dottedQuadToNum(ip):
>     """Convert decimal dotted quad string to long integer"""
>     global socket, struct
>     if socket is None:
>         import socket
>         import struct
> 
> and the equivalent in ``numToDottedQuad``.

I think you can just move the imports inside the functions, without the
global checking business. Python will take care of that, I don't see
problems on multiple execution.

But even before that, I'd place these two methods in a separate "utils.py"
module, and maybe import *them* on demand.


> Another difficulty - if your config file has an IP address with the
> relevant check in the configspec then the IP address will be checked and
> converted to a long using ``dottedQuadToNum``.
> 
> When you come to write out the config file (by calling ``write`` or
> ``writein`` then the long will be converted using 'str'..... You'd have
> to call ``numToDottedQuad`` yourself unless we add an alternative
> mechanism (unvalidation ! - registering a str function as well for each
> check...)

Nothing of the sort. Look again at line #876: the long is not actually
used, the value stays string. ;-D


> Did you see your mention in Daily Python URL ?

Yes, I did, you sprawled my name all over the place. I'm pleased, of
course. :-) BTW, the one suggesting Medusa+Quixote was me, again. ;-)


-- 
Nicola Larosa - ni...@te...

When I was growing up, my parents used to say to me, "Tom, finish your
dinner - people in China are starving." But after sailing to the edges
of the flat world for a year, I am now telling my own daughters, "Girls,
finish your homework - people in China and India are starving for your
jobs." -- Thomas L. Friedman, New York Times, April 2005