[Tutor] Puzzled by print lst.sort()
Liam Clarke
ml.cyresse at gmail.com
Sun Oct 1 15:15:47 CEST 2006
Dick Moores wrote:
> At 01:37 PM 9/30/2006, Shantanoo Mahajan wrote:
>
>> Maybe following is helpful:
>>
>>
>>>>> a=[3,2,1]
>>>>> b=a[:]
>>>>> b.sort()
>>>>> c=sorted(a)
>>>>> print a,b,c
>>>>> [3, 2, 1] [1, 2, 3] [1, 2, 3]
>>>>>
>>>>>
>> Shantanoo
>>
>
> Sorry to be dense, but I don't see what showing what happens to a
> copy of list a adds to the explanation:
> >>> a = [3,2,1]
> >>> b = a[:]
> >>> b.sort()
> >>> b
> [1, 2, 3]
> >>>
>
> given that:
>
> >>> a = [3,2,1]
> >>> a.sort()
> >>> a
> [1, 2, 3]
> >>>
>
> I suppose I've misunderstood how you were trying to assist me.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dick
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Tutor maillist - Tutor at python.org
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>
>
I think what Shantanoo was getting at was the reference thing, i.e.,
>>> a = [3,2,1]
>>> b = a[:]
>>> b.sort()
>>> a
[3, 2, 1]
>>> b
[1, 2, 3]
>>>
As opposed to
>>> a = [3,2,1]
>>> b = a
>>> b.sort()
>>> a
[1, 2, 3]
>>> b
[1, 2, 3]
>>>
You may not always have access to Python 2.4.
Regards,
Liam Clarke
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