[Python-Dev] Proposal: defaultdict

Adam Olsen rhamph at gmail.com
Tue Feb 21 04:55:22 CET 2006


On 2/20/06, Jim Jewett <jimjjewett at gmail.com> wrote:
> Adam Olsen asked:
> > ... d.getorset(key, func) would work in your use cases?
>
> It is an improvement over setdefault, because it doesn't
> always evaluate the expensive func.  (But why should every
> call have to pass in the function, when it is a property of
> the dictionary?)

Because usually it's a property of how you use it, not a property of
the dictionary.  The dictionary is just a generic storage mechanism.


> [snip]
> In other words, the program would work correctly if I passed
> in a normal but huge dictionary; I want to avoid that for reasons
> of efficiency.  This isn't the only use for a mapping, but it is
> the only one I've seen where KeyError is "expected" by the
> program's normal flow.

Looking at your explanation, I agree, getorset is useless for that use case.

However, I'm beginning to think we shouldn't be comparing them.
defaultdict is a powerful but heavyweight option, intended for
complicated behavior.  getorset and setdefault are intended to be
very lightweight, even lighter than the "try/except KeyError" and "if
key not in X: X[key] = default" memes we have right now.  getorset's
factory function is only appropriate for preexisting functions, not
user defined ones.

Essentially, I believe getorset should be discussed on its own merits,
independent of the addition of a defaultdict class.  Perhaps
discussion of it (and the deprecation of setdefault) should wait until
after defaultdict has been completed?

--
Adam Olsen, aka Rhamphoryncus


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