[Tutor] Iterating through a function list

[Dave Kuhlman]

On Wed, May 20, 2009 at 10:02:22AM -0400, Robert Berman wrote:
> 
>    Hi,
>    Given a list of options: option_1.......option_n. For each option I
>    have a corresponding function: func_1..... func_n. I have all function
>    names defined in a list similar to flist = [func_1,
>    func_2,.......func_n] which I know is a legitimate construct having
>    found a similar  construct discussed by Kent Johnson in 2005.
>    What I do not know how to do is to call the selected function. If the
>    index of options is 1, then I want to call func_2; do I code
>    flist[index]?

Yes.

Then to call that function, do:

    flist[index](arg1, ...)

or do:

    func = flist[index]
    func(arg1, ...)

Similarly, if you need to look up a function by name or some other
key then use a dictionary.  For example:

    funcs = {'func_name_one': func1, ...}

    if name in funcs:
        funcs[name](arg, ...)

Python is making this too easy for you, making it hard to spot the
solution.

Think of parentheses as a "function call operator", which you can
apply to any callable value.

- Dave


-- 
Dave Kuhlman
http://www.rexx.com/~dkuhlman