Exception as the primary error handling mechanism?

[Steven D'Aprano]

On Tue, 05 Jan 2010 15:51:29 -0800, Phlip wrote:

> Why can't int('nonnumeric') return None?

It could do that, but it shouldn't, because returning magic values 
instead of raising exceptions is usually a bad, bad idea.

> (A related question - why can't I just go 'if record = method():  use
> (record)'. Why extra lines just to trap and assign the variable before
> using it?)

Because that idiom is responsible for probably the most common error in C 
of all, at least one of the most common errors. Thank goodness Python 
forbids such a dangerous construct.




-- 
Steven