Refer to types.SimpleNamespace in namedtuple documentation

[pfmoore]

BPO	26805
Nosy	@pfmoore, @vstinner, @Rosuav, @berkerpeksag
Files	collections.patch

^{Note: these values reflect the state of the issue at the time it was migrated and might not reflect the current state.}

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GitHub fields:

assignee = None
closed_at = <Date 2016-04-19.18:22:02.134>
created_at = <Date 2016-04-19.12:25:44.423>
labels = ['easy', 'type-feature', 'docs']
title = 'Refer to types.SimpleNamespace in namedtuple documentation'
updated_at = <Date 2016-04-19.22:00:01.130>
user = 'https://github.com/pfmoore'

bugs.python.org fields:

activity = <Date 2016-04-19.22:00:01.130>
actor = 'python-dev'
assignee = 'docs@python'
closed = True
closed_date = <Date 2016-04-19.18:22:02.134>
closer = 'paul.moore'
components = ['Documentation']
creation = <Date 2016-04-19.12:25:44.423>
creator = 'paul.moore'
dependencies = []
files = ['42520']
hgrepos = []
issue_num = 26805
keywords = ['patch', 'easy']
message_count = 9.0
messages = ['263733', '263737', '263740', '263757', '263759', '263761', '263763', '263769', '263779']
nosy_count = 6.0
nosy_names = ['paul.moore', 'vstinner', 'docs@python', 'python-dev', 'Rosuav', 'berker.peksag']
pr_nums = []
priority = 'normal'
resolution = 'fixed'
stage = 'resolved'
status = 'closed'
superseder = None
type = 'enhancement'
url = 'https://bugs.python.org/issue26805'
versions = ['Python 3.5', 'Python 3.6']

[pfmoore]

People often look towards collections.namedtuple when all they actually want is "named attribute" access to a collection of values, without needing a tuple subclass, or positional access. In these cases, types.SimpleNamespace may be a better fit.

I suggest adding the following pointer to the top of the namedtuple documentation:

"""
For simple uses, where the only requirement is to be able to refer to a set of values by name using attribute-style access, the :ref:`types.SimpleNamespace` type may be a suitable alternative to using a namedtuple.
"""

[vstinner]

LGTM. I was going to push your sugestion when I saw that you are allowed to push yourself. See my attached patch:

• I fixed :ref:`types.SimpleNamespace` => you have to use :class:`...`
• I replaced "may be" with "can be" (I'm not confortable with "may", but it's up to you)

[pfmoore]

Thanks Victor. I'll sort this out this evening when I get to my PC with access to the CPython repo.

[python-dev]

New changeset c3232d1d8ca0 by Paul Moore in branch 'default':
Mention types.SimpleNamespace in collections.namedtuple doc
https://hg.python.org/cpython/rev/c3232d1d8ca0

[vstinner]

types.SimpleNamespace is also available on Python 3.5, you may also modify Python 3.5 doc.

[pfmoore]

Ah, thanks. I probably did the commit the wrong way round in that case, as I committed to tip. How should I do the commit into 3.5? (I'm also somewhat confused by the fact that hg describes the 3.5 branch as "inactive"...)

[vstinner]

I don't know what "inactive" means in Mercurial. Python 3.5 is
actively developed (maintained):
https://docs.python.org/devguide/#status-of-python-branches

How should I do the commit into 3.5?

Update to 3.5 (hg up 3.5), transplant your change (hg transplant
c3232d1d8ca0). Fix if needed. I don't recall if you need to commit or
not (commit if you get the patch as local changes). Then update to
default (hg update default), and merge 3.5 (hg merge 3.5). Commit.

https://docs.python.org/devguide/devcycle.html#branches

[berkerpeksag]

Or if you don't want to use any hg extension:

hg update 3.5
hg import --no-c http://bugs.python.org/file42520/collections.patch
hg commit
hg update default
hg merge 3.5
hg revert -ar default
hg resolve -am
hg commit

(Null merge (hg merge 3.5 and later) is step documented at https://docs.python.org/devguide/faq.html?#how-do-i-make-a-null-merge)

[python-dev]

New changeset 3115b6ce1006 by Paul Moore in branch '3.5':
Mention types.SimpleNamespace in collections.namedtuple doc
https://hg.python.org/cpython/rev/3115b6ce1006