New subject: [off topic] Allow function to return multiple values

July 5, 2017

      On Wed, Jul 5, 2017 at 11:34 AM, Chris Barker <chris.barker@noaa.gov> wrote:
...
On Sun, Jun 25, 2017 at 6:20 PM, Mikhail V <mikhailwas@gmail.com> wrote:
...
And it reminded me times starting with Python and  wondering
why I can't simply write something like:
def move(x,y):
    x = x + 10
    y = y + 20
move(x,y)
Instead of this:
def move(x,y):
    x1 = x + 10
    y1 = y + 20
    return x1,y1
x,y = move(x,y)
you CAN do that, if x and y are mutable types.
I've found that when folk want this behavior (often called "pass by
reference" or something), what they really want in a mutable number. And you
can make one of those if you like -- here's a minimal one that can be used
as a counter:
[veering off-topic]

I've implemented mutable integers as part of the gmpy2 library. The
eXperimental MPZ (xmpz) type breaks many of the normal rules.

Mutable
...
...
...
a=gmpy2.xmpz(1)
b=a
a+=1
a
xmpz(2)
b
xmpz(2)
Direct access to individual bits
...
...
...
a=gmpy2.xmpz(123)
a[0]
1
a[1]
1
a[0]=0
a
xmpz(122)
Iterating over bits
...
...
...
a=gmpy2.xmpz(104)
bin(a)
'0b1101000'
list(a.iter_bits())
[False, False, False, True, False, True, True]
list(a.iter_clear())
[0, 1, 2, 4]
list(a.iter_set())
[3, 5, 6]
I'm not sure how useful it really is but it was fun to write. :)

casevh

Re: [Python-ideas] [off topic] Allow function to return multiple values

Case Van Horsen

Chris Barker

Chris Barker

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