From: Raymond Hettinger Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 22:21:36 +0000 (+0000) Subject: Glossary cleanup X-Git-Tag: v3.1.3rc1~287 X-Git-Url: https://granicus.if.org/sourcecode?a=commitdiff_plain;h=bd204de4546a3749d6df1b7f4bef8a7c7ccd813d;p=python Glossary cleanup --- diff --git a/Doc/glossary.rst b/Doc/glossary.rst index c4e0e32ca9..40f0869e03 100644 --- a/Doc/glossary.rst +++ b/Doc/glossary.rst @@ -134,10 +134,9 @@ Glossary For more information about descriptors' methods, see :ref:`descriptors`. dictionary - An associative array, where arbitrary keys are mapped to values. The use - of :class:`dict` closely resembles that for :class:`list`, but the keys can - be any object with a :meth:`__hash__` function, not just integers. - Called a hash in Perl. + An associative array, where arbitrary keys are mapped to values. The keys + can be any object with :meth:`__hash__` function and :meth:`__eq__` + methods. Called a hash in Perl. docstring A string literal which appears as the first expression in a class, @@ -186,9 +185,11 @@ Glossary :term:`abstract base class`. floor division - Mathematical division discarding any remainder. The floor division - operator is ``//``. For example, the expression ``11//4`` evaluates to - ``2`` in contrast to the ``2.75`` returned by float true division. + Mathematical division that rounds down to nearest integer. The floor + division operator is ``//``. For example, the expression ``11 // 4`` + evaluates to ``2`` in contrast to the ``2.75`` returned by float true + division. Note that ``(-11) // 4`` is ``-3`` because that is ``-2.75`` + rounded *downward*. See :pep:`238`. function A series of statements which returns some value to a caller. It can also @@ -196,7 +197,7 @@ Glossary the body. See also :term:`argument` and :term:`method`. __future__ - A pseudo module which programmers can use to enable new language features + A pseudo-module which programmers can use to enable new language features which are not compatible with the current interpreter. By importing the :mod:`__future__` module and evaluating its variables, @@ -214,13 +215,13 @@ Glossary generator A function which returns an iterator. It looks like a normal function - except that values are returned to the caller using a :keyword:`yield` - statement instead of a :keyword:`return` statement. Generator functions - often contain one or more :keyword:`for` or :keyword:`while` loops which - :keyword:`yield` elements back to the caller. The function execution is - stopped at the :keyword:`yield` keyword (returning the result) and is - resumed there when the next element is requested by calling the - :meth:`__next__` method of the returned iterator. + except that it contains :keyword:`yield` statements for producing a series + a values usable in a for-loop or that can be retrieved one at a time with + the :func:`next` function. Each :keyword:`yield` temporarily suspends + processing, remembering the location execution state (including local + variables and pending try-statements). When the generator resumes, it + picks-up where it left-off (in contrast to functions which start fresh on + every invocation. .. index:: single: generator expression @@ -265,9 +266,7 @@ Glossary IDLE An Integrated Development Environment for Python. IDLE is a basic editor and interpreter environment which ships with the standard distribution of - Python. Good for beginners, it also serves as clear example code for - those wanting to implement a moderately sophisticated, multi-platform GUI - application. + Python. immutable An object with a fixed value. Immutable objects include numbers, strings and @@ -369,7 +368,8 @@ Glossary mapping A container object (such as :class:`dict`) which supports arbitrary key - lookups using the special method :meth:`__getitem__`. + lookups using the special method :meth:`__getitem__`. Mappings also + support :meth:`__len__`, :meth:`__iter__`, and :meth:`__contains__`. metaclass The class of a class. Class definitions create a class name, a class