[Python-ideas] "While" suggestion

[Josiah Carlson]

On Thu, Jul 3, 2008 at 7:46 AM, Facundo Batista
<facundobatista at gmail.com> wrote:
> 2008/7/3 Stavros Korokithakis <stavros at korokithakis.net>:
>
>> while my_file.read(1024) as data:
>>   do_something(data)
>
> Python explicitly disallows inline assignment ("while
> a=myfile.read():") because of the error propensity when confusing it
> with the comparation ("=="). But here we're gaining the same
> advantage, without that risk.
>
> So, taking into account that...
>
> a) We already have "as" as an statement.
>
> b) We already use "as" as an assignment [1]
>
> c) This will allow more concise and intuitive code
>
> ... I'm definitely +1 to this proposition.
>
> In any case, Stavros, this would need a PEP...

I would argue at a -.5.  Not every 5-line function needs to be syntax,
and unless someone can really show a common use-case for tossing 'as'
in the syntax of the while loop, it smells like a one-off syntax.

Don't get me wrong, I've needed to do blocked reading before, but I
typically write the block reader generator and call it good.

 - Josiah