Returning a value 2 stack frames up in Python?

Question

Is it possible to have a function return 2 stack frames up in Python, without having a wrapper function or intermediate handling in the middle function?

Minimum Example:

def foo():
    bar()
    return 1


def bar():
   return 2  # Want to change this to make foo's return value 2, not 1


foo() # Want this to return 2

Of course, this would be possible by modifying foo, but I'm wondering if there's a statement in Python to return the value of 2 from bar several stack frames up, for example instead of foo's return value of 1.

I've tried looking into some introspection techniques, but Python doesn't seem to support much.

Maybe this approach should never be taken, because it breaks concepts of encapsulation?

Answer 1

I'm wondering if there's a statement in Python to return the value of 2 from bar several stack frames up, for example instead of foo's return value of 1.

There is no such statement. What you describe is certainly possible in python, but as a day-to-day programming technique rather than a debugging technique it's completely mental.

Maybe this approach should never be taken

Yes! (In python, and language with cheap pass-by-reference everywhere.) Python isn't a push-n-pop-the-stack language...