Loop-and-a-half (Re: Curious assignment behaviour)

[Jeff Shannon]

>
> That's because there are two breaks that have different semantical meanings.
> The fully equivalent version in today's syntax has to use one extra variable
> (assuming the variable _flag is not used for other purpose):

Nope.  (see below)

>
>
> _flag = 0
> while 1:
>     x = next()
>     if x.is_end: break
>     y = process(x)
>     if y.is_what_we_are_looking_for():
>         _flag = 1
>         break
> if not _flag:
>     raise "not found"
> del _flag
>

while 1:
    x = next()
    if x.is_end(): break
    y = process(x)
    if not y.is_good_result():
        raise "not found"

Personally, I think that the construct you are promoting,

while (expression); (condition):
    (suite)

.... is ugly and non-intuitive, and I would *not* want to use it.  Just my
opinion, but.....


Jeff Shannon
Technician/Programmer
Credit International