Another stab at a "switch/case" construct (for Python 3000):

[Benjamin Schollnick]

In article <slrnaa75sg.2gd.grey at teleute.dmiyu.org>,
 Steve Lamb <grey at despair.dmiyu.org> wrote:

> case:  Don't like it.  We already have means to do what a case does and do it
> more elegantly.  It would add a needless redundant portion to the language.


We do???

We have the IF .... ELIF statement structure, which can be used to 
simulate a case statement, but it is not as clear nor as neat as
the case statement.

IF X == 0:
   DO_THIS ()
ELIF X == 2:
   DO_THIS (2)
ELIF X == 4:
   DO_THIS (X+2)
ELIF Y == 6:
   DO_THIS()
ELIF Z == "ZEBRA":
   DO_THIS ( ZEBRA )
ELSE:
   DO_NOT_DO_THIS ()


I am not aware of any "errors" in the above code, and it's totally
a BS routine... So please no pointing that out.

But, this routine is not exactly readable compared to a case:

CASE X of:
   0  : DO_THIS()
   2  : DO_THIS (2)
   4  : DO_THIS (x+2)
   6  : DO_THIS ()
 ELSE:
      DO_NOT_DO_THIS()

if Z == "ZEBRA":
   DO_THIS (ZEBRA)

And it can be optimized to:

CASE X of:
   0,6   : DO_THIS()
   2     : DO_THIS (2)
   4     : DO_THIS (x+2)
 ELSE:
      DO_NOT_DO_THIS()

if Z == "ZEBRA":
   DO_THIS (ZEBRA)

The key issue is that I believe the IF / ELIF / ELSE statement can be 
used with multiple variables during the IF ELIF..... At least I remember 
using it that way....

The CASE is cleaner, and can only be used to compare a SINGLE variable 
with multiple values.  And I believe it's easier to maintain.....(And
can be optimized easier).

            - Benjamin