More random python observations from a perl programmer

[Andrew Csillag]

Tom Christiansen wrote:
> 
> >> How is that a singleton tuple?
> >It's not.  For format strings, if the item (here 4.5/100) is a single
> >thing, the items need not be a tuple. i.e.
> 
> That's painfully inconsistent.

No, just extremely convienent.  Why have to have a single item tuple for
a single item?  It's not that inconsistant, there are two options for
it:  either a single item, or a tuple of items (which may be one item). 
The only time I get tripped up by this is when I do things like:
    foo = "some format string %s" % b
and b turns out to be a tuple, but for me, at least, it happens
infrequently and is easily fixed by using a 1 item tuple instead:
    foo = "some format string %s" % (b,)
or since I'm using %s anyway,
    foo = "some format string %s" % str(b) 

> 
> >>     print "You have $%0.2f bucks" % (4.5/100,)
> >> illegal,
> >No, it's perfectly fine.  Didn't try it, I guess.
Not an attack, just a clarification.

> 
> No, I thought I had.
> 
> >>     print "You have $%0.2f bucks" % ((4.5/100,) * 2)
> >This, on the other hand is wrong since ((4.5/100,) * 2) yields (0.045,
> >0.045) and you only have one formatting bit in the string (only 1
> >%0.2f).
> 
> Typo.
> 
> >> mandatory?  Was this (elt,) thing just an, er, unforeseen design
> >> misfeature? Yes, I tripped me up again. :-(
> >Try reading the docs...
> 
> Thanks for nothing: there are no manpages. 
Manpages don't work very well if you're stuck on a Windows box :(.  If
only the world were Unix... <sigh>

There are the python manuals which are excellent, available at:
http://www.python.org/doc/ (linked to from the homepage)
available in your choice of HTML, PostSript, PDF, Info, LaTeX and
windows help.

Not to mention that they're searchable via:
http://www.python.org/search/

But for the most part, I usually don't need the search portal since the
indexes are really good.  But if you want a greppable form, there's Info
(although I don't like info in general, but info (both standalone and
emacs versions) does have the document search key 's'), HTML, and the
LaTeX versions grep quite well.

> I read the Lutz book.

I personally think that the Lutz book (the big thick one) isn't all that
great (sorry Mark).  Not an offence to you, I bought it also.  The
online tutorial:
http://www.python.org/doc/current/tut/tut.html
last I looked is quite good.  The Learning Python book seems to be quite
a bit better.  The pocket reference is also quite handy.

> You'll note that I even MENTIONED this issue in a gotcha.
> It's just easy to get tripped up by the inconsistency.
> 
> You seem to be looking for a fight.   Please say nothing
> at all if that's all you want to do.

No, actually, just trying to help you out, so chill out alright?  I've
got better things to do then get in a flame war with you over nothing.

Jees, try to be nice and have to go and buy asbestos clothing!

-- 
"Programmers are just machines that convert coffee to executable code"
   -Unknown

"Drew Csillag" <drew_csillag at geocities.com>