Why is ModbusTransactionManager not in transaction.__all__?

[jamesbraza]

I am writing some tests of a device I communicate with via pymodbus, and I want my assertions to traverse nearly the full stack. I decided to patch comms at the ModbusTransactionManager level.

I have one question and one request:

• Why is ModbusTransactionManager not in transaction.__all__?
• Why is __all__ at the bottom of the module?

From PEP8, __all__ should be at the top of a module, right below the docstring: https://peps.python.org/pep-0008/#module-level-dunder-names

[janiversen]

If you are testing your device, you should use e.g. client_calls and not patch anything.

If you are simulating your device, I recommend using server/simulator.

But anyhow if you patch comms at ModbusTransactionManager level, you patch internally in pymodbus and at that level we do not provide all (in some places you can still find it, because no code is perfect).

We consider pymodbus one module, and thus all interfaces must have all to be pep8 compliant. Our internal structure is of course available in the source but it changes between version without notification.

[jamesbraza]

you should use e.g. client_calls and not patch anything.

https://pymodbus.readthedocs.io/en/latest/search.html?q=client_calls&check_keywords=yes&area=default

Searching for client_calls doesn't yield anything, can you add detail there?

---

Sounds good on pymodbus being one module, I understand what you mean.

If I opened a PR to move the many __all__ to the top of the module (instead of bottom), would you be open to that?

[janiversen]

If the content of all is part of our API, then its welcome.

[janiversen]

examples/client_calls.py

[janiversen]

I think I misread your suggestion. The all should be in init.py and nowhere else, and it is not logically to put it in the top, that is where we have imports etc.

What is the reason you want to move it to the top ? I might have overlooked some good arguments.

[jamesbraza]

Oh __all__ (per PEP8) belongs at the top of a module, right below the docstring: https://peps.python.org/pep-0008/#module-level-dunder-names

It makes sense, because it's like declaring the "public API" of the module, at the top. Currently in pymodbus, __all__ is placed at the bottom of many modules.

[janiversen]

good argument, look forward to see a pull request.

[jamesbraza]

Opened #1441 ✅