From 4b854b746650214eddadb2440efd9e1544d08ccb Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Stanley <46876382+slateny@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Tue, 28 Jun 2022 03:15:44 -0700 Subject: gh-61585: Clarify import scope in modules tutorial (GH-93455) Co-authored-by: Adam Turner <9087854+AA-Turner@users.noreply.github.com> Co-authored-by: CAM Gerlach --- Doc/tutorial/modules.rst | 21 +++++++++++---------- 1 file changed, 11 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-) diff --git a/Doc/tutorial/modules.rst b/Doc/tutorial/modules.rst index d6f2464..ad70d92 100644 --- a/Doc/tutorial/modules.rst +++ b/Doc/tutorial/modules.rst @@ -47,8 +47,9 @@ command:: >>> import fibo -This does not enter the names of the functions defined in ``fibo`` directly in -the current symbol table; it only enters the module name ``fibo`` there. Using +This does not add the names of the functions defined in ``fibo`` directly to +the current :term:`namespace` (see :ref:`tut-scopes` for more details); +it only adds the module name ``fibo`` there. Using the module name you can access the functions:: >>> fibo.fib(1000) @@ -75,8 +76,8 @@ These statements are intended to initialize the module. They are executed only the *first* time the module name is encountered in an import statement. [#]_ (They are also run if the file is executed as a script.) -Each module has its own private symbol table, which is used as the global symbol -table by all functions defined in the module. Thus, the author of a module can +Each module has its own private namespace, which is used as the global namespace +by all functions defined in the module. Thus, the author of a module can use global variables in the module without worrying about accidental clashes with a user's global variables. On the other hand, if you know what you are doing you can touch a module's global variables with the same notation used to @@ -84,18 +85,18 @@ refer to its functions, ``modname.itemname``. Modules can import other modules. It is customary but not required to place all :keyword:`import` statements at the beginning of a module (or script, for that -matter). The imported module names are placed in the importing module's global -symbol table. +matter). The imported module names, if placed at the top level of a module +(outside any functions or classes), are added to the module's global namespace. There is a variant of the :keyword:`import` statement that imports names from a -module directly into the importing module's symbol table. For example:: +module directly into the importing module's namespace. For example:: >>> from fibo import fib, fib2 >>> fib(500) 0 1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 55 89 144 233 377 This does not introduce the module name from which the imports are taken in the -local symbol table (so in the example, ``fibo`` is not defined). +local namespace (so in the example, ``fibo`` is not defined). There is even a variant to import all names that a module defines:: @@ -580,5 +581,5 @@ modules found in a package. .. rubric:: Footnotes .. [#] In fact function definitions are also 'statements' that are 'executed'; the - execution of a module-level function definition enters the function name in - the module's global symbol table. + execution of a module-level function definition adds the function name to + the module's global namespace. -- cgit v0.12