Newbie: need help with control loop

[Terry Reedy]

In article <38543b80.289200819 at news-server>, 
nospam.python at scoobysnacks.com says...
>
>I'm trying to write a simple program to change passwords on a large
>number of routers but I'm having trouble with the control loop.  This
>may be very poor code but I've only been at this for a week.  I want
>to do more than one router at a time so I don't have to wait for each
>one to finish before I start the next.  I also don't want to start ALL
>of them at the same time.  The problem I'm having is being able to
>create an object instance based on a list value.  The list is
>arbitrary and may change often.  Here is where I'm at.
>
>if __name__ == '__main__':
>        list=['host1','host2','host3','host4','host5',
>                'host6','host7','host8','host9','host0']
'list' is the name of a built in function, and therefor a bad choice of 
local variable name.  Use 'hosts' instead

>        running=[]
>        for machine in range(len(list)):
You do not appear to need index.  If not, better is
  for machine in hosts:

You should probable create instance next:
  host_inst = class_name(machine)

>                running = running + [list[machine]]
  running.append(host_inst) # does not copy list, merely adds

>                """I want right here to create a class instance
>                        based on list[machine] and have it begin
>
>        ??      list[machine]=testclass()  ??      """

See above

>
>                while len(running) >= 4 : # no more than 4 working
>
>                        for currentitem in range(len(running)):
here you will want index (for deletion)
>                                #
>                                # kill if done
  instance = running[currentitem]
>                                # if instance.status == ('done') :
>                                        #del instance
  del running[currentitem]
>                                print running[currentitem],
>
>                        del running[0]
This makes no sense.  Will not be done.

>                        print ''
>        #loop to finish anything remaining in running[]
>
>Any and all help appreciated.

TJR

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