[Tutor] redundant function ( or, I need advice about cleaning up my code )

[Morgan Meader]

Hello all,

I am very new to python. I have the basics down somewhat but really want 
to save myself maintainence problems down the road. Please permit me to 
ask for guidance.

This is one function example of the 4000 lines or so that I have so far. 
It(the program) is working as expected but it is ugly... well... just 
look below at this example. Anyway... some pointers( not refs ;-) ) as 
to how some of you experts would handle this kind of duplicate code in a 
function.

FYI... I don't quite understand OOP yet but I'm reading furiously. And 
unfortunately I come from the Shell scripting world so any advice re: 
unlearning bad habits would be welcome.


[code]

def addChannelFeatures(job,step,impData,coup):
    layerNames = []
    layerTypes = []
    layerPols = []
    for i in xrange(len(job.matrix.info['gROWname'])):
        if job.matrix.info['gROWtype'][i] == 'power_ground' or \
           job.matrix.info['gROWtype'][i] == 'mixed' or \
           job.matrix.info['gROWtype'][i] == 'signal':
            layerNames.append(job.matrix.info['gROWname'][i])
            layerTypes.append(job.matrix.info['gROWlayer_type'][i])
            layerPols.append(job.matrix.info['gROWpolarity'][i])
    layers.sort()
    # add the channels
    step.clearAll()
    for imp in impData:
        # positive planes
        for i in imp['ranges']:
            if layerTypes[i] != 'signal':
                if layerPols == 'positive':
                    step.affect(layerNames[i])
        if imp['impedence_type'] == 'stripline':
            channelSize = 1000*(imp['width'] + 2*imp['spacing'])
            addSChannel(imp,channelSize,coup,pol='negative')
        elif imp['impedence_type'] == 'broadside':
            channelSize = 1000*(imp['width'] + 2*imp['spacing'])
            addBChannel(imp,channelSize,coup,pol='negative')
        elif imp['impedence_type'] == 'differential':
            channelSize = 1000*(2*imp['width'] + 3*imp['spacing'])
            addDChannel(imp,channelSize,coup,pol='negative')
        
        step.clearAll()
        if DEBUG:
            step.PAUSE('are stripline the channels looking good?')
        # negative planes
        for i in imp['ranges']:
            if layerTypes[i] != 'signal':
                if layerPols == 'negative':
                    step.affect(layerNames[i])
        if imp['impedence_type'] == 'stripline':
            channelSize = 1000*(imp['width'] + 2*imp['spacing'])
            addSChannel(imp,channelSize,coup,pol='positive')
        elif imp['impedence_type'] == 'broadside':
            channelSize = 1000*(imp['width'] + 2*imp['spacing'])
            addBChannel(imp,channelSize,coup,pol='positive')
        elif imp['impedence_type'] == 'differential':
            channelSize = 1000*(2*imp['width'] + 3*imp['spacing'])
            addDChannel(imp,channelSize,coup,pol='positive')
        
        step.clearAll()
        if DEBUG:
            step.PAUSE('are stripline the channels looking good?')
        
    pass

[/code]




Thank you for any help,
Morgan