[Python-Dev] get for lists and tuples?

[Raymond Hettinger]

Russell E. Owen wrote:

>I'd like to have the get method available for lists and tuples. (I 
>figured this must have been discussed before but can't recall it and 
>didn't turn anything up on google).
>
>It's obviously not a use-all-the-time method (or it'd already be there), 
>but I find myself wanting it often enough to justify it in my own mind 
>(and curse this omission, relative to dict).
>
>Basically I run into it when parsing data of variable length (where the 
>extra elements have some obvious default value), including config files, 
>sys.argv (for simple command scripts), that sort of thing.
>  
>
How about:

    optarg = argv[4] if len(argv)>4 else 'default'


>Yes a 4-liner does the job, but "get" would be a much clearer way to 
>write it.
>
>Anyway, I'm just testing the waters. If it's not heresy then I'd like to 
>do what I can to make it happen.
>  
>

Perhaps in an alternate universe ;-)


Raymond