Python 2.3.3 on Windows XP

If the user supplies one valid and one invalid keyword to 
a function that defines two required keyword arguments, 
PyArg_ParseTupleAndKeywords will raise this 
exception:

TypeError: function takes exactly 2 arguments (1 given)

If, in getargs.c, vgetargskeywords, the check 
for "extraneous keywords" were done near the top of the 
function, a more meaningful exception would be thrown:

TypeError: 'bad' is an invalid keyword argument for this 
function

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Any opinions?

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I agree that the error message should be fixed; this is even
an 'XXX' comment ("an this isn't a bug?").

Unfortunately, just looking for bad keyword arguments is not
enough - it might even be that an optional keyword argument
is supplied, and still the error message is confusing, e.g. for

>>> re.compile("a").match(pos=10)
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
TypeError: match() takes at least 1 argument (0 given)

Instead, I think the error message should read: 

TypeError: "pattern" argument for match() is missing

as we know exactly what "meaning" the missing argument has.

This might still be unspecific if multiple required
arguments are missing, but I think just giving the first one
would be informative enough - or else it could read

TypeError: "pattern" argument for match() is missing (+2 more)

if there are 2 more missing.

Yet alternatively, it could read

TypeError: required arguments for match() missing:
'pattern', 'foo', 'bar'

Patches in this direction are welcome; the precise wording
proposal should be mentioned on python-dev.

Fixed on trunk and py3k, can someone test on the release branches?

Python 2.7a0 (trunk, Feb 24 2009, 10:30:17)
>>> re.compile("a").match(pos=10)
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
TypeError: Required argument 'pattern' (pos 1) not found

Looks like the new message is in 2.6 as well.

nosy: + georg.brandl
messages: + msg85501

resolution: fixed

messages: + msg83876
versions: + Python 2.6, Python 3.0