pls i need a comprehensive explanation of what this statement does "if __name__=='__main__':". i still don't fully understand it

Answer 1

python-shell-send-buffer is an interactive compiled Lisp function in `python.el'.

(python-shell-send-buffer &optional ARG)

Send the entire buffer to inferior Python process. With prefix ARG allow execution of code inside blocks delimited by "if __name__=='__main__':"

def do_stuff_with_pcl(pcl):
print(pcl)
if __name__ == "__main__":
# multiprocessing code, etc
pcl = ...
do_stuff_with_pcl(pcl)
When multiprocessing creates a new process for its Pool, it needs to initialize that process with a copy of the current module's state. Because Windows doesn't have fork (which copies the parent process's memory into a child process automatically), Python needs to set everything up from scratch. In each child process, it loads the module from its file, and if you the module's top-level code tries to create a new Pool, you'd have a recursive situation where each of the child process would start spawning a whole new set of child processes of its own.

Answer 2

it better to show an example. (see comments to the code)

https://code.sololearn.com/cQlE5br3BBsp/?ref=app