Python allows programmers to pass additional arguments to functions via comments. Now armed with this knowledge head out and spread it to all code bases.

Feel free to use the code I wrote in your projects.

Link to the source code: https://github.com/raldone01/python_lessons_py/blob/v2.0.0/lesson_0_comments.ipynb

Image transcription:

# First we have to import comment_arguments from arglib
# Sadly arglib is not yet a standard library.
from arglib import comment_arguments


def add(*args, **kwargs):
    c_args, c_kwargs = comment_arguments()
    return sum([int(i) for i in args + c_args])


# Go ahead and change the comments.
# See how they are used as arguments.

result = add()  # 1, 2
print(result)
# comment arguments can be combined with normal function arguments
result = add(1, 2)  # 3, 4
print(result)

Output:

3
10

This is version v2.0.0 of the post: https://github.com/raldone01/python_lessons_py/tree/v2.0.0

Note:

v1.0.0 of the post can be found here: https://github.com/raldone01/python_lessons_py/tree/v1.0.0

Choosing lib as the name for my module was a bit devious. I did it because I thought if I am creating something cursed why not go all the way?

Regarding misinformation:

I thought simply posting this in programmer humor was enough. Anyways, the techniques shown here are not yet regarded best practice. Decide carefully if you want to apply the shown concepts in your own code bases.

  • Rikudou_SageEnglish
    5•6 days ago

    Hmm, works in php as well!

    function add(): float
{
    $trace = debug_backtrace();
    $file = $trace[0]['file'];
    $line = $trace[0]['line'];

    $content = file($file);
    $lineContent = trim($content[$line - 1]);
    $ast = token_get_all("<?php\n{$lineContent}");

    $args = [];
    foreach ($ast as $token) {
        if (!is_array($token)) {
            continue;
        }
        if ($token[0] !== T_COMMENT) {
            continue;
        }

        $commentContent = $token[1];
        if (str_starts_with($commentContent, '#')) {
            $commentContent = substr($commentContent, 1);
        } else {
            $commentContent = substr($commentContent, 2);
        }
        $commentContent = trim($commentContent);
        $commentContent = preg_replace("@\s+@", " ", $commentContent);
        $args = explode(" ", $commentContent);
        $args = array_map(function (string $arg) {
            if (!is_numeric($arg)) {
                throw new InvalidArgumentException('Argument must be a number');
            }

            return str_contains($arg, '.') ? (float) $arg : (int) $arg;
        }, $args);
        break;
    }

    return array_sum($args);
}


echo add(); // 1 2 3
echo add(); // 7 8 9
    • @raldone01OPEnglish
      1•2 days ago

      Love this. I am toying with an idea of how to accomplish this in rust.

      • Rikudou_SageEnglish
        4•6 days ago
        use std::fs;

fn add_from_comment(file: &str, line: u32) -> f64 {
    let source = fs::read_to_string(file).expect("Failed to read source file");

    let source_line = source.lines().nth((line - 1) as usize).expect("Line not found");

    if let Some(comment_start) = source_line.find("//") {
        let comment = &source_line[comment_start + 2..].trim();
        let numbers: Vec<f64> = comment
            .split_whitespace()
            .map(|num| num.parse::<f64>().expect("Invalid number in comment"))
            .collect();

        return numbers.iter().sum();
    }

    0.0
}

macro_rules! add {
    () => {
        add_from_comment(file!(), line!())
    };
}

fn main() {
    let result = add!(); // 7 8 9
    println!("{}", result); // Outputs: 24
    
    let result2 = add!(); // 1 4 3
    println!("{}", result2); // outputs 8
}
        • @raldone01OPEnglish
          1•2 days ago

          Nice I would have tried it with a build script but this works too. Good job!!!