How do I correctly clean up a Python object?

Question

class Package:
    def __init__(self):
        self.files = []

    # ...

    def __del__(self):
        for file in self.files:
            os.unlink(file)
         


        

Answer 1

Here is a minimal working skeleton:

class SkeletonFixture:

    def __init__(self):
        pass

    def __enter__(self):
        return self

    def __exit__(self, exc_type, exc_value, traceback):
        pass

    def method(self):
        pass


with SkeletonFixture() as fixture:
    fixture.method()

Important: return self

---

If you're like me, and overlook the return self part (of Clint Miller's correct answer), you will be staring at this nonsense:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "tests/simplestpossible.py", line 17, in                                                                                                                                                           
    fixture.method()                                                                                                                                                                                              
AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'method'

Hope it helps the next person.