René's URL Explorer Experiment

{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"DiscussionForumPosting","headline":"Smooth out API surfaces before M1","articleBody":"Current offenders:\n1. ~~There is no way to [`allocate_ids`](https://github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/gcloud-python/blob/2b73c7b4b1bd2f0abd6bc7f3da6a48c135d8f53a/regression/datastore.py#L30) without explicitly using protobufs. I have partially [addressed](https://github.com/dhermes/gcloud-python/commit/0860e5902541eeb6146a3fb0f55ec66465b3dc39)~~ (Implemented in #436).\n2. ~~Transactions don't give any indication of success or failure (i.e. commit or rollback in [`__exit__`](https://github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/gcloud-python/blob/2b73c7b4b1bd2f0abd6bc7f3da6a48c135d8f53a/gcloud/datastore/transaction.py#L252)).~~ (Filed #496)\n3. ~~`Query` (and other classes) could be more Pythonic by allowing us to pass values to constructor that also have their own setters. For [example](https://github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/gcloud-python/blob/2b73c7b4b1bd2f0abd6bc7f3da6a48c135d8f53a/regression/datastore.py#L165):~~\n   \n   ``` python\n   query = dataset.query('Character').ancestor(\n       ANCESTOR_KEY).limit(10).order('appearances')\n   ```\n   \n   ~~becomes~~\n   \n   ``` python\n   query = dataset.query('Character', ancestor=ANCESTOR_KEY,\n                         limit=10, order='appearances')\n   ```\n   \n   ~~We don't have to go as extreme as #188 by wiping away the `return self` behavior in the setters, but could use them in conjuction with more Pythonic constructors.~~ (Implemented in #487)\n4. ~~`Query.cursor()` should not raise an error before being used. Using `query.cursor() is None` gives a way to check progress in a query. For example, in paging:~~ (addressed in #432)\n   \n   ``` python\n   query = dataset.query(kind=kind).limit(FETCH_MAX)\n   results = []\n   more_results = True\n   while more_results:\n       # Make new query.\n       if query._cursor is not None:\n           query = query.with_cursor(query._cursor)\n   \n       curr_results = query.fetch()\n       results.extend(curr_results)\n   \n       more_results = len(curr_results) == FETCH_MAX\n   ```\n5. ~~`Query` should give access to `start_cursor` and `end_cursor`. It is currently [only set](https://github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/gcloud-python/blob/2b73c7b4b1bd2f0abd6bc7f3da6a48c135d8f53a/gcloud/datastore/query.py#L385) on the `pb`.~~ (see #432)\n6. Comparing `Entity` values should be easier. Current [workaround](https://github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/gcloud-python/blob/2b73c7b4b1bd2f0abd6bc7f3da6a48c135d8f53a/regression/datastore.py#L243) is\n   \n   ``` python\n   arya_dict = dict(arya_entity.items())\n   self.assertEqual(arya_dict, {'name': 'Arya', 'family': 'Stark'})\n   ```\n7. ~~Paging [with offsets](https://github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/gcloud-python/blob/2b73c7b4b1bd2f0abd6bc7f3da6a48c135d8f53a/regression/datastore.py#L287) should be a bit more automatic, as it is in `gcloud-node`. Currently we have to~~\n   \n   ``` python\n   query = query.offset(offset).limit(limit)\n   entities = page_query.fetch()\n   # Offset needs to be reset to 0 since we want to start exactly at `cursor`.\n   next_query = query.with_cursor(cursor).offset(0)\n   ```\n   \n   (done in #487, since `offset` always defaults to `0`)\n8. ~~I'm sure there will be plenty more to come after #319~~\n9. ~~(UPDATED): Consider making bulk-adding properties to `Entity` more intuitive. See #389.~~ (`dict.update()` is Pythonic and simple to use / multi-type signature)\n10. ~~(UPDATED): \"Creating a new datastore.entity with a key name is a pain.\" See #82~~\n","author":{"url":"https://github.com/dhermes","@type":"Person","name":"dhermes"},"datePublished":"2014-11-04T07:23:55.000Z","interactionStatistic":{"@type":"InteractionCounter","interactionType":"https://schema.org/CommentAction","userInteractionCount":21},"url":"https://github.com/336/google-cloud-python/issues/336"}