detecting variable types

[Jay]

Thanks, Peter.

Here's what I'm trying to do:

I have a function like this:

def func(**params):

    # if params[key1] is a single string
        # do something with params[key1]

    # if params[key1] is a list of strings
        for val in params[key1]:
            # do something

Could you suggest a better way to do this without detecting the type?


Jay.


"Peter Hansen" <peter at engcorp.com> wrote in message
news:Y-WdnWCkPIytTszcRVn-vQ at powergate.ca...
> Jay wrote:
> > I'm sure this is a really dumb question, but how do you detect a
variable
> > type in Python?
> >
> > For example, I want to know if the variable "a" is a list of strings or
a
> > single string. How do I do this?
>
> Use the builtin function "type()", but note the following:
>
> 1. Variables don't actually have types in Python (and they're usually
> called "names" in Python, for various reasons), but the data they are
> currently bound to does have a type and that's what type() returns.
> Often the distinction won't matter to you...
>
> 2. Most of the time people trying to do what you are probably trying
> to do are going about things the wrong way, often from experience
> with other languages.  Lots of Python folks would be happy to introduce
> you to "better" ways to do things, if you'll explain the use case
> and tell us what you're actually trying to accomplish.  (Of course,
> using "type()" will work, but it's rarely considered the best
> approach in the Python community.)
>
> -Peter