From: Brian Candler <b.candler@...>
Date: 2009-10-13T18:26:26+09:00
Subject: Re: When use self.method_name and when only method_name?

Joshua Muheim wrote:
> Just a small newbie question: When calling a method inside an object, I
> should always use self.method_name for good style, right? I know that I
> could always only use "method_name", but it's a bit prone to errors
> because I could have also a local variable called "method_name", and
> when I use "self." I always call the method, and not a potentially
> available local variable.

It's good style to keep methods small. Remember that every method starts 
with a clean sheet of local variables - they *never* propagate in from 
outside - so it's obvious by inspection whether a name is a local 
variable or not.

But there is a much larger class of errors such as simple typos:

    self.method_nmae
    slef.method_name

You'll need unit tests to counter these; and once you have them, these 
will also cover other logic errors including the accidental shadowing of 
a method with a local variable as you describe above.

BTW, I still sometimes write
    foo = xxx

when I mean to call the method,
    self.foo = xxx

I suppose writing 'self.' everywhere would make that less likely - but 
I'd still say it's better to have good unit tests.
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