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# 31.3. `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.

## 31.3.1. 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()`.

## 31.3.2. Examining Symbol Tables

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_star`()

    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 `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 `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 `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_declared_global`()

    Return `True` if the symbol is declared global with a global statement.

  `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.

    For example:

        >>> table = symtable.symtable("def some_func(): pass", "string", "exec")
        >>> table.lookup("some_func").is_namespace()
        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.

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