[Python-ideas] Allow non-callable default_factory for defaultdict

[Bruce Leban]

I don't see an extra lambda as that complicated. What is more complicated is
that when I see the code:

d = defaultdict(foo)

I (the reader of the code) can't tell whether foo is the default value or
the default function. So I better always write (lambda: foo) unless foo is a
constant. Doesn't to have enough benefit to change.

--- Bruce

On Mon, Jun 2, 2008 at 8:05 AM, Brandon Mintern <bmintern at gmail.com> wrote:

> I have just begun using defaultdict and have found it to be very
> useful for cleaning up (1) d.setdefault(key, initial_collection) and
> (2) repeated d.get(key, constant) calls which all use the same
> constant.
>
> (1) is trivial because in most cases, initial_collection is something
> like "set()" or "[]", and instead I can use "d = defaultdict(set)" or
> "d = defaultdict(list)" to accomplish the same thing. Now, all those
> d.setdefault(key...) calls become d[key]. This is much nicer, and I'm
> sure most of you are familiar with it.
>
> (2) is slightly less common, but it still comes up. This can also be
> handled by defaultdict, using "d = defaultdict(lambda: constant)".
> Now, all those d.get(key...) calls become d[key]. As with (1), this
> makes the code significantly nicer, and perhaps some of you have used
> it.
>
> I would like to propose simplifying (2). Instead of using "d =
> defaultdict(lambda: constant)", it would be nice to be able to use "d
> = defaultdict(constant)". In 2.5.2:
>
> >>> d = defaultdict("missing")
> Traceback (most recent call last):
>  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
> TypeError: first argument must be callable
>
> Obviously, defaultdict is already checking its argument (perhaps it's
> an assert, but still...), so it knows whether the argument is callable
> or not. My proposal is that if default_factory is callable or None,
> the behavior of __missing__ remains the same. Otherwise, the behavior
> of __missing__ is simply to insert default_factory in the dictionary
> for the key and return it.
>
> I can see one drawback to this: there is a risk of people using
> defaultdict([]) instead of defaultdict(list) with the idea that they
> will do the same thing. I think this problem can be easily overcome in
> the defaultdict documentation by specifically mentioning such a case
> as a gotcha while also using an example with a non-callable that shows
> how it is similar to using dict.get(...).
>
> Would anyone else find such a change to be helpful?
>
> Brandon
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