[Python-ideas] SyntaxWarning for for/while/else wi thout break or return?

[Stephen J. Turnbull]

Steven D'Aprano writes:

 > That makes no sense. If there's no difference between:
 > 
 > for x in seq:
 >     pass
 > else:
 >     whatever()
 > 
 > and 
 > 
 > for x in seq:
 >     pass
 > whatever()
 > 
 > then what could the warning save you from?

The warning can save me from the brain fart that has been repeated
over and over in this thread: thinking that there *is* a difference.
This thread is ample evidence that people can and do misread and
miswrite that construct *even in a context where they are forewarned
that they are discussing an easily misused construct*.

 > Perhaps you're thinking of the following:

Stop trying to read my mind.  What you should be reading is some of
the posts in this thread explaining that

    for x in seq:
        pass
    else:
        whatever()

means 

    if seq:
        for x in seq:
            pass
    else:
        whatever()

or similar ... *after* Nick's explanation that the for/break/else
idiom for search is the only semantically interesting form.