My Python Coding Conventions
Contents
Coding Conventions Etc.
In reading my code it may be of some use to know what conventions I have ( tried ) to follow. The code has been developed over quite a period of time so the standards are not uniform. What I write here are the standards that are in quite a bit of the code and the directions that I am trying to move. In all of the coding consistency is an important standard, I have a ways to go. I am now only coding in Python 3.6 or up. Here are some types of conventions.
Names
I try to be consistent: this is good but have not been very successful in standards: I keep changing my mind. I am avoiding short names and try to make names descriptive enough that they are somewhat self documenting. References are often copied across objects for easy access ( lots of parameters for example ); when this happens the name of the object is generally ( should be always ) the same in both objects.
Formatting
Nothing special here but I like white space and use a lot. This is not standard Python. But this is what I like.
Docstrings
I am working towards using them but have not arrived at a format that I both like to read and which is quick enough to write. Not good as of 2017 Jan
Imports
- In most cases use the format "import xyz" so the name space is not polluted and so it is easy to identify just what an imported class is.
- In in objects that are almost all GUI then using "from Tkinter import *" is ok but better is: "import Tkinter as Tk"
- I normally have only one or a few classes in a file so there are a lot of files and a lot of what I call "local imports".
- Almost all imports are at the top of a file, std library imports first then "local imports".
Object Orientation
Almost everything is a class. Not much in the way of module functions, not many classes in a module. I think my Java experience has led me to overuse classes and under use functions.... at the module level.
Documentation for Class Instance Methods
Look something like this:
def create_class_from_strings( self, module_name, class_name):
"""
This will load a class from string names
It makes it easier to specify classes in the parameter file.
I believe it is used for both the comm drive and the "processor"
args: strings
ret: instance of the class
Side effects Class created
"""
The comment should give the intent of the method, some hint as to the args ( which hopefully have good names ), and some info. on the return value. zip means nothing, void....
I am moving toward using __ and _ as prefixes for more private methods, but have not gone too far in this direction.
Application Structure
coming...
MVX Structure
coming...
GUI Structure
coming...
GUI Structure
coming...
Typical Application Functionality
coming...
MultiThreading
coming...
Parameters, INI files
coming...
Python Logging
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