Does everyone call the function of the script main? I never use main(), just call the function what the program is supposed to do, this program calculates the IBNR? The function is called calculate_IBNR(), then at the end of the script if name = 'main': calculate_IBNR(test_params) to test de script, then is imported into a tkinter script to be converter to an exe with pyinstaller

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[–] [email protected] 20 points 3 days ago (8 children)

Could someone explain this please? I'm still a noob.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (2 children)

All code needs to have an entry point.

For Python and some other languages, this is the start of the file.

For other languages, this is a special function name reserved for this purpose - generally, "main".

In the first kind of language, the thought process is basically: I have the flow of execution, starting at the top of the file. If I want to make a library, I should build the things I want to build, then get out of the way.

In the other kind of language, the thought process is basically: I am building a library. If I want to make an executable, I should create an entry point they the execution starts at.

The debate is honestly pretty dumb.

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[–] [email protected] 14 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

if debug.getinfo(1).what == "main" then
  -- ...
end

Not that you'll ever use it. No, seriously.

Edit: actually, they are not quite equivalent. This code just checks whether we are outside any function, not necessarily in the main file (i.e. not in a module). I don't think there's an equivalent to Python's __name__ in stock Lua.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 3 days ago

"pythonic"

[–] [email protected] 11 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Nothing prevents you from putting a call to “main()” in the global scope

[–] [email protected] 16 points 3 days ago (3 children)

The point of the name==main logic is that it checks if that is the file that was invoked (like running python filename.py). If you just put a main() in the global scope it will be called either when the file is invoked or loaded (which can cause unintended consequences).