
``symtable`` --- Access to the compiler's symbol tables
*******************************************************

Symbol tables are generated by the compiler from AST just before
bytecode is generated.  The symbol table is responsible for
calculating the scope of every identifier in the code.  ``symtable``
provides an interface to examine these tables.


Generating Symbol Tables
========================

symtable.symtable(code, filename, compile_type)

   Return the toplevel ``SymbolTable`` for the Python source *code*.
   *filename* is the name of the file containing the code.
   *compile_type* is like the *mode* argument to ``compile()``.


Examining Symbol Tables
=======================

class class symtable.SymbolTable

   A namespace table for a block.  The constructor is not public.

   get_type()

      Return the type of the symbol table.  Possible values are
      ``'class'``, ``'module'``, and ``'function'``.

   get_id()

      Return the table's identifier.

   get_name()

      Return the table's name.  This is the name of the class if the
      table is for a class, the name of the function if the table is
      for a function, or ``'top'`` if the table is global
      (``get_type()`` returns ``'module'``).

   get_lineno()

      Return the number of the first line in the block this table
      represents.

   is_optimized()

      Return ``True`` if the locals in this table can be optimized.

   is_nested()

      Return ``True`` if the block is a nested class or function.

   has_children()

      Return ``True`` if the block has nested namespaces within it.
      These can be obtained with ``get_children()``.

   has_exec()

      Return ``True`` if the block uses ``exec``.

   has_import_start()

      Return ``True`` if the block uses a starred from-import.

   get_identifiers()

      Return a list of names of symbols in this table.

   lookup(name)

      Lookup *name* in the table and return a ``Symbol`` instance.

   get_symbols()

      Return a list of ``Symbol`` instances for names in the table.

   get_children()

      Return a list of the nested symbol tables.

class class symtable.Function

   A namespace for a function or method.  This class inherits
   ``SymbolTable``.

   get_parameters()

      Return a tuple containing names of parameters to this function.

   get_locals()

      Return a tuple containing names of locals in this function.

   get_globals()

      Return a tuple containing names of globals in this function.

   get_frees()

      Return a tuple containing names of free variables in this
      function.

class class symtable.Class

   A namespace of a class.  This class inherits ``SymbolTable``.

   get_methods()

      Return a tuple containing the names of methods declared in the
      class.

class class symtable.Symbol

   An entry in a ``SymbolTable`` corresponding to an identifier in the
   source.  The constructor is not public.

   get_name()

      Return the symbol's name.

   is_referenced()

      Return ``True`` if the symbol is used in its block.

   is_imported()

      Return ``True`` if the symbol is created from an import
      statement.

   is_parameter()

      Return ``True`` if the symbol is a parameter.

   is_global()

      Return ``True`` if the symbol is global.

   is_local()

      Return ``True`` if the symbol is local to its block.

   is_free()

      Return ``True`` if the symbol is referenced in its block, but
      not assigned to.

   is_assigned()

      Return ``True`` if the symbol is assigned to in its block.

   is_namespace()

      Return ``True`` if name binding introduces new namespace.

      If the name is used as the target of a function or class
      statement, this will be true.

      Note that a single name can be bound to multiple objects.  If
      the result is ``True``, the name may also be bound to other
      objects, like an int or list, that does not introduce a new
      namespace.

   get_namespaces()

      Return a list of namespaces bound to this name.

   get_namespace()

      Return the namespace bound to this name.  If more than one
      namespace is bound, a ``ValueError`` is raised.
