namedtuple

This is more a note to self, sometimes it makes sense to not use an iterable. While switching to a namedtuple won't make the task of programming routines easier, any prudent student of the language will instantly notice that employing a namedtuple can increase readability especially for parsing csv. I think it's really cool that the class creation is abstracted away, and can't wait to use it on the next project to call for it.

	# http://docs.python.org/library/collections.html
	# note to self
	import collections
	from collections import namedtuple
	Robot = namedtuple('Robot', 'base, hinge1, arm_len, hinge2, wrist, hand')
	Robot.base = 260
	Robot.hinge1 = 20
	Robot.arm_len = 120
	Robot.hinge2 = 150
	Robot.wrist = 90
	Robot.hand = 0
	# not an iterable.
	print(Robot.hinge2)

view raw named_tuple_example.py hosted with ❤ by GitHub

addendum by Campbell Barton:

" my main annoyance with named tuples is they're implemented in python so they're not as fast as builtin types like dicts."

	# as suggested and clarified by Campbell Barton, in the first response to this post.
	# Here's an example of a helper function to do new classes that work like named tuples
	# ----
	# 1 liner for making new named tuple like classes
	def auto_class(name, slots): return type(name, (object, ), {"__slots__": slots})
	mytype = auto_class("TrickyClass", ("blah", "whee", "whoo"))
	t = mytype()
	t.whoo = 10
	print(t.whoo)

view raw auto_class_example.py hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Edit 2014: Amazingly.. there are easier ways

Almost 4 years on and I can safely say I've used neither method - ever. What I have used repeatedly is

	theme = lambda: None
	theme.col_background = '#e7e7e7'
	theme.col_header = '#707070'
	theme.col_stroke = '#000'
	theme.hide_tick = '#888'

view raw svgwrite2.py hosted with ❤ by GitHub

zero setup, zero hassle. A simple 'Null Lambda' Object, because it supports object attributes. lambda: None might look a little weird the first few times.