else clauses in while and for loops
Ralph Corderoy
ralph at inputplus.demon.co.uk
Sun Apr 2 07:31:21 EDT 2000
Hi,
> > I don't think that is a real need.
>
> so? do you suggest that we should remove it, and force people to
> rewrite their perfectly working pro- grams, just to make you happy?
> or maybe we could use all that energy to work on something more
> important?
I suggest you go back and read my post properly. In particular, the
original poster's request.
> > Please give some examples showing the real need for else clauses in
> > this context.
Someone replied giving a pointless use of else. I said out that this
was a pointless use of else and therefore didn't match the original
poster's request of an example `showing the real need'.
I didn't say there wasn't a real need for else, I said `I don't think
that is a real need' immediately after quoting the pointless example.
Ralph.
-------- Original post follows
> > Please give some examples showing the real need for else clauses in
> > this context.
>
> def lookup(stringList, word):
> """Finds the first instance of word in stringList. Returns -1 if not
> found"""
> i = 0
> while i < len(stringList):
> if stringList[i] == word:
> break
> i = i + 1
> else:
> # is only executed if we never hit that break
> return -1
> return i
I don't think that is a real need. Wouldn't it normally be written to
return ASAP rather than jump through hoops.
def lookup(stringList, word):
i = 0
while i < len(stringList):
if stringList[i] == word:
return i
i = i + 1
return -1
Ralph.
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