default variable in python $_

[MaR]

rh0dium wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> So I have this simple little routine..  say like this..
>
>
> def foo()
>    return {"a":"b", "b":"c"}
>
> if foo():
>    print "Have foo"
>
>
> Now I want the dictionary item a (ie. b)
>
> How can I do it the above way or do I still have to go like this..
>
> def foo()
>    return {"a":"b", "b":"c"}
>
> z = foo()
> if z:
>    print "Have foo"
>    print z['a']
>
> This is where $_ in perl is awesome - There must be a default variable
> in python right?

As said in earlier response, such a default variable is *dangerous* at
best!
Not knowing much about Perl and guessing that the $_ is a global
storage space, my immediate thought is; What happens if you have
multiple threads?

The example is too simplified to give any clues as to what you are
needing the feature for.
Guessing that you want to generate some dict() and use the result once
and then discard, write:

foo_default = 1
def foo(): return(generate_some_dict())

you can further write

foo().get('a', foo_default)

giving compact code and ensuring that you get a well defined result
regardless what dictionary keys there are.