On 06/03/10 01:37, Jim Byrnes wrote: > >>> some older procedural languages I always end up becoming confused by >>> the large number of built in methods. >> >> C is one of the simplest procedural languages around >> and yet it comes with a huge library of functions (several >> hundred in some cases). The size of the library should be easier >> to manage using OOP than with older function/procedure based >> libraries, because the functions are not just logically grouped >> in the documentation but in the code too. > > I don't know C, I was thinking more along the lines of Basic or Rexx.I > could sit down and read through a list of keywords and built in > functions and it would be compact enough that I would have a good idea > of what was available. I can't seem to do that with the OO languages, > but of course I am older now also.
When I learned Visual Basic, I definitely remembered the thousands of pages of documentation for thousands of functions. Python is probably isn't much different in the size of the number of functions included in the stdlib, but IMHO help() and pydoc aids much better in navigating the docs compared to context sensitive help. Python's keywords are just: help> keywords Here is a list of the Python keywords. Enter any keyword to get more help. and elif if print as else import raise assert except in return break exec is try class finally lambda while continue for not with def from or yield del global pass I don't think there are many non-esoteric languages with significantly less keywords than python. and the builtin functions: abs all any apply basestring bin bool buffer bytearray bytes callable chr classmethod cmp coerce compile complex delattr dict dir divmod enumerate eval execfile exit file filter float format frozenset getattr globals hasattr hash help hex id input int intern isinstance issubclass iter len list locals long map max min next object oct open ord pow print property quit range raw_input reduce reload repr reversed round set setattr slice sorted staticmethod str sum super tuple type unichr unicode vars xrange zip and unlike some languages, the list of python's built-ins actually gets smaller with py3k (84 items in 2.6.4 and 71 items in 3.1.2, excluding Exceptions) I never actually sit down and read through all the built-in function's documentation; I just skim through this list, make a mental note of what they appears to be doing from their name, and only read their documentation as the need to use them arises. _______________________________________________ Tutor maillist - Tutor@python.org To unsubscribe or change subscription options: http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor
