Dynamically growing an array to implement a stack

[Paul McGuire]

On Apr 8, 3:21 pm, "M. Hamed" <mhels... at hotmail.com> wrote:
> I have trouble with some Python concept. The fact that you can not
> assign to a non-existent index in an array. For example:
>
> a = [0,1]
> a[2] =========> Generates an error
>
> I can use a.append(2) but that always appends to the end. Sometimes I
> want to use this array as a stack and hence my indexing logic would be
> something like:
>
> If you are already at the end (based on your stack pointer):
>       use append() then index (and inc your pointer)
> if not:
>       index directly (and inc your stack pointer)

??? The stack pointer is *always* at the end, except don't actually
keep a real stack pointer, let list do it for you.  Call append to
push a value onto the end, and pop to pull it off.  Or if you are
really stuck on push/pop commands for a stack, do this:

>>> class stack(list):
...   push = list.append
...
>>> ss = stack()
>>> ss.push("x")
>>> ss.push("Y")
>>> ss
['x', 'Y']
>>> ss.pop()
'Y'
>>> ss.pop()
'x'
>>> ss.pop()
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
IndexError: pop from empty list

-- Paul