[Python-Dev] conditional expressions?

Anders J. Munch andersjm at dancontrol.dk
Tue Oct 16 05:27:42 EDT 2001


"Tim Peters" <tim.one at home.com> wrote in message
news:mailman.1003177394.3900.python-list at python.org...
> Following is good clarification from Guido (on Python-Dev) about "the
rules" currently implemented by his patch.
[...]
> Some examples where no parentheses are needed (note that a comma binds
> less tight than a conditional expression -- same as for lambda):
>
>     x = if 1 then 2 else 3, y
>     f(if 1 then 2 else 3, y)
>     a[if 1 then 2 else 3, y]
>     `if 1 then 2 else 3`
>     lambda: if 1 then 2 else 3

I see a problem with adding precedence rules.  There doesn't seem to
be a natural precedence for the conditional expression operator.  C
and C++ have been struggling with this for years; C and C++ have
different rules for this; compilers have warnings that say "Suggest
parentheses to clarify precedence".  After 14 years of C and C++
programming I still couldn't tell you the precedence of ?: even if I
wanted to.

Quick, what does this snippet do if return_as_map is true?

 return if return_as_map then {'A':a,'B':b} else a,b

Rather than open up a new venue of obfuscation possibilities in
Python, I'd go for mandatory parentheses around the conditional
expression.

- Anders




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