else clauses in while and for loops

[Chuck Esterbrook]

So did anyone present, in this thread, an example that shows a real need?

That seemed to have gotten lost in the poor example and the strange tangent about removing features from Python...

-Chuck


Ralph Corderoy wrote:

> Hi,
>
> > > I don't think that is a real need.
> >
> > so?  do you suggest that we should remove it, and force people to
> > rewrite their perfectly working pro- grams, just to make you happy?
> > or maybe we could use all that energy to work on something more
> > important?
>
> I suggest you go back and read my post properly.  In particular, the
> original poster's request.
>
> > > Please give some examples showing the real need for else clauses in
> > > this context.
>
> Someone replied giving a pointless use of else.  I said out that this
> was a pointless use of else and therefore didn't match the original
> poster's request of an example `showing the real need'.
>
> I didn't say there wasn't a real need for else, I said `I don't think
> that is a real need' immediately after quoting the pointless example.
>
> Ralph.
>
> -------- Original post follows
>
> > > Please give some examples showing the real need for else clauses in
> > > this context.
> >
> > def lookup(stringList, word):
> >     """Finds the first instance of word in stringList. Returns -1 if not
> > found"""
> >     i = 0
> >     while i < len(stringList):
> >         if stringList[i] == word:
> >             break
> >         i = i + 1
> >     else:
> >       # is only executed if we never hit that break
> >         return -1
> >     return i
>
> I don't think that is a real need.  Wouldn't it normally be written to
> return ASAP rather than jump through hoops.
>
>     def lookup(stringList, word):
>         i = 0
>         while i < len(stringList):
>             if stringList[i] == word:
>                 return i
>             i = i + 1
>         return -1
>
> Ralph.