python - Should I decorate a function? -

trying determine if should try use decorator or other pythonic way reduce code many of functions doing. these functions able call maybe 1 other function @ start of each function or somehow "decorate" start of each function. have never used decorator before , struggling implement decorate idea in pythonic way reduce common set of share code @ each function.

i have many functions perform same set of steps @ start of function. however, there structure concerns of common code makes "decorator" idea difficult :

• the functions in child class of parent class.
  

• the common commands between functions reference variable names specific function (but subset of function name).

• the common commands need return caller , not execute more of child function if condition met. ("if jobj : " block in sample code)

for variable/attribute examples, child function get_nas_server(self) utilize "nas_server" variable variants in common set of code. subtracting get_ function name reveals base of variable name used in common set of code. example variables names , object attributes derived "get_nas_server" function name:

nas_server
nas_server.json
self.nas_server (attribute)

here common code 1 of functions:

        ####################################################################         def get_nas_server(self):         ####################################################################             """\ngets command nas_server , places data self.nas_server"""             try:                self.nas_server                return self.nas_server            except attributeerror:                pass            self.get_file_cmd('nas_server')            jobj = self.fresh_json('nas_server.json')            if jobj :                self.nas_server = jobj                return self.nas_server            self.get_file_cmd('get_nas_server') 

everything below code above in function specific function purpose , not appropriate discussion here. trying make code above reusable in functions, code has have variables , attribute changed depending on function name.

thanks reading if got far , help.

seems define helper method in parent class:

class parent(object):     def _get_something(name):         try:             return getattr(self, name)         except attributeerror:             pass        self.get_file_cmd(name)        jobj = self.fresh_json(name+'.json')        if jobj :            setattr(self, name, jobj)            return jobj        self.get_file_cmd('get_'+name) 

as snippet demonstrates, can use getattr(), setattr() , hasattr() functions reference object attributes name.