Make function definition in a python file order independent

I use Python CGI. I cannot call a function before it is defined.

In Oracle PL/SQL there was this trick of "forward declaration": naming all the functions on top so the order of defining doesn't matter.

Is there such a trick in Python as well?

example:

def do_something(ds_parameter):
    helper_function(ds_parameter)
    ....

def helper_function(hf_parameter):
    ....

def main():
    do_something(my_value)

main()

David is right, my example is wrong. What about:

<start of cgi-script>

def do_something(ds_parameter):
    helper_function(ds_parameter) 
    .... 

def print_something(): 
    do_something(my_value) 

print_something() 

def helper_function(hf_parameter): 
    .... 

def main()
    ....

main()

Can I "forward declare" the functions at the top of the script?

All functions must be defined before any are used.

However, the functions can be defined in any order, as long as all are defined before any executable code uses a function.

You don't need "forward declaration" because all declarations are completely independent of each other. As long as all declarations come before all executable code.

Are you having a problem? If so, please post the code that doesn't work.

In your example, print_something() is out of place.

The rule: All functions must be defined before any code that does real work

Therefore, put all the statements that do work last.

An even better illustration of your point would be:

def main():
    print_something() 
    ....

def do_something(ds_parameter):
    helper_function(ds_parameter) 
    .... 

def print_something(): 
    do_something(my_value) 


def helper_function(hf_parameter): 
    .... 


main()

In other words, you can keep your definition of main() at the top, for editing convenience -- avoiding frequent scrolling, if most of the time is spent editing main.