[Python-Dev] make iter() return an empty iterator?

Andrew Bennetts andrew-pythondev at puzzling.org
Fri Aug 3 11:10:20 CEST 2007


Georg Brandl wrote:
> Sure, you could use ``iter(())`` or ``iter([])``, but for consistency's sake
> wouldn't it make sense for ``iter()`` to return an empty iterator, as ``str()``
> returns an empty string etc.?

I had no idea that "str()" or "int()" would do that.  "file()" certainly
doesn't! :)

I don't really think there's much reason to make "iter()" work.  As you say,
"iter([])" works just fine.  For those rare times you want an empty iterator, I
don't think the two extra characters is much of a price to pay.

-Andrew.



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