lambda forms within a loop

[Duncan Booth]

Michal Ostrowski <mostrows at gmail.com> wrote:

> def MakeLambdaBad():
>   a = []
>   for x in [1,2]:
>      a.append(lambda q:  x + q)
>   return a

Two things to remember when using lambda:

1. You can always replace lambda with one line function returning the same 
result. The only difference is that you have to give the function a name.
I think using named functions is usually clearer because it makes the code 
look a bit more visually distinct, not just part of some larger expression, 
but YMMV.

So your code could have been written:

def MakeLambdaBad():
  a = []
  for x in [1,2]:
     def baa(q): return x+q
     a.append(baa)
  return a

2. Except for argument defaults it is irrelevant where in a function the 
lambda or def is executed: the code it contains is not evaluated until the 
function is called.

So these are also the same as your original:

def MakeLambdaBad():
  def baa(q): return x+q
  a = []
  for x in [1,2]:
     a.append(baa)
  return a

or if you prefer the lambda:

def MakeLambdaBad():
  baa = lambda q: x+q
  a = []
  for x in [1,2]:
     a.append(baa)
  return a

or if you want the code a bit shorter:

def MakeLambdaBad():
  def baa(q): return x+q
  x = 2
  return [baa, baa]

In case of pedants: when I say irrelevant I mean of course irrelevant so 
long as the function has actually been defined before it is referenced.