better name for re.error Exception class.

[Carreau]

BPO	38981
Nosy	@gpshead, @ezio-melotti, @serhiy-storchaka, @Carreau, @Sourabh025
PRs	bpo-38981: Rename re.error to re.ReCompileError for better readability. #17501

^{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 = None
created_at = <Date 2019-12-05.16:56:07.880>
labels = ['expert-regex', 'easy', 'type-feature', '3.9']
title = 'better name for re.error Exception class.'
updated_at = <Date 2020-09-18.07:39:36.123>
user = 'https://github.com/Carreau'

bugs.python.org fields:

activity = <Date 2020-09-18.07:39:36.123>
actor = 'serhiy.storchaka'
assignee = 'none'
closed = False
closed_date = None
closer = None
components = ['Regular Expressions']
creation = <Date 2019-12-05.16:56:07.880>
creator = 'mbussonn'
dependencies = []
files = []
hgrepos = []
issue_num = 38981
keywords = ['patch', 'easy']
message_count = 11.0
messages = ['357867', '357878', '357882', '357883', '357884', '357886', '357962', '357982', '357986', '358059', '358124']
nosy_count = 6.0
nosy_names = ['gregory.p.smith', 'ezio.melotti', 'mrabarnett', 'serhiy.storchaka', 'mbussonn', 'sourabh025']
pr_nums = ['17501']
priority = 'normal'
resolution = None
stage = 'patch review'
status = 'open'
superseder = None
type = 'enhancement'
url = 'https://bugs.python.org/issue38981'
versions = ['Python 3.9']

Linked PRs

• GH-83162: Rename re.error for better clarity. #101676
• GH-83162: Rename re.error for better clarity. #101677
• [3.12] gh-83162: Rename re.error in idlelib (GH-101677) #112987
• [3.11] [3.12] gh-83162: Rename re.error in idlelib (GH-101677) (GH-112987) #113013

[Carreau]

better error/exception name for re.compile error.

Currently the error raise by re.compile when it fails to compile is error defined in sre_constants.py:

class error(Exception):
    """Exception raised for invalid regular expressions.

This is quite disturbing as most exception start with an uppercase and have a tiny bit more descriptive name.

Would it be possible to have it renamed as something more explicit like ReCompileError, and still keeping the potential error alias as deprecated ?

[serhiy-storchaka]

It is common practice that the module specific exception is called just "error". There is nothing wrong with this.

I do not see a need to introduce a different alias.

[serhiy-storchaka]

See also the discussion about renaming json.loads(): https://mail.python.org/archives/list/python-ideas@python.org/thread/EJTIVQ2ZFSVHALTLRGFCOMOYGZYMKGQU/

[Carreau]

Most of the module specific classes are Error, not error, at least with an uppercase E you know it's a class.

if a novice sees :

error: missing ), unterminated subpattern at position 0

It will be relatively tough or them to figure out that error is the type of the exception.

Also it's not because something works that you can't improve it ...

[serhiy-storchaka]

Since it affects more than one module I suggest to discuss the idea about renaming exceptions of the Python-Ideas maillist first. Until different decision be made I am closing. Personally I think this is a duplicate of just discussed and rejected idea.

[Carreau]

Thanks for the advice I've done that !

Have a good day.

[serhiy-storchaka]

Reopened after discussing on Python-ideas: https://mail.python.org/archives/list/python-ideas@python.org/thread/64NHNY6RD4HQWBSBV6J7XIN7UAHNTQBR/.