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A simple decorator that helps define abstract methods: when such a method is called, an appropriate exception is raised.

Python, 32 lines
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def abstractmethod(method):
    def default_abstract_method(*args, **kwargs):
        raise NotImplementedError('call to abstract method ' + repr(method))

    default_abstract_method.__name__ = method.__name__
    
    return default_abstract_method


if __name__ == '__main__':

    class A:
        @abstractmethod
        def foo(self, data): pass

    class B(A):
        def foo(self, data):
            self.data = data

    a = A()
    b = B()
    b.foo(5)
    
    exception_raised = False
    try:
        a.foo(3)
    except NotImplementedError:
        exception_raised = True

    assert exception_raised

    print 'OK'

I find it more consistent that the (nonetheless elegant): def foo(self): abstract

3 comments

pavel 12 years, 11 months ago  # | flag

Why not raise built-in NotImplementedError?

jimmy2times (author) 12 years, 11 months ago  # | flag

Good idea, didn't know about that.

Peter Ruibal 12 years, 11 months ago  # | flag

The only drawback to this approach is you won't fail withTypeError for incorrect arguments being passed.

Created by jimmy2times on Tue, 19 Apr 2011 (MIT)
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