for: else: - any practical uses for the else clause?

[BJörn Lindqvist]

> How do you transform this?
>
> height = 0
> for block in stack:
>    if block.is_marked():
>        print "Lowest marked block is at height", height
>        break
>    height += block.height
> else:
>    raise SomeError("No marked block")

def get_height_of_first_marked_bock(stack):
    height = 0
    for block in stack:
        if block.is_marked():
            return height
        height += block.height
    raise SomeError("No marked block")

height = get_height_of_first_marked_block(stack)
print "Lowest marked block is at height", height

Yes, this transformation is one line longer, but the control flow is
much easier to understand. In general, using the for/else clause mixes
the retrieval and the usage of the element. Consider this:

for item in list:
    if somecond(item):
        A) do something with item
        break
else:
    B) exceptional code when somecond() doesnt match anything in list

The code that you write in the positions A and B really are misplaced.
They arent part of the iteration of list. The two tasks, find item and
do something with item should be separated.

def find_item(list):
    for item in list:
        if somecond(item):
            return item
    return None # OR raise an exception

item = find_item(list)
if item:
    A) do something with item
else:
    B) exceptional code

This is, IMHO, much better style.

-- 
mvh Björn