[Tutor] Recursively flatten the list

[Tom Zych]

Dharmit Shah wrote:
> I am learning Python and yesterday I cam across a definition wherein I was
> supposed to flatten a list recursively. I am getting the solution properly
> but wanted to know if I can optimize the code further.
>
> #!/usr/bin/env python
> new_list=[]
> def flatten(num_list):
>     """
>       >>> flatten([2, 9, [2, 1, 13, 2], 8, [2, 6]])
>       [2, 9, 2, 1, 13, 2, 8, 2, 6]
>       >>> flatten([[9, [7, 1, 13, 2], 8], [7, 6]])
>       [9, 7, 1, 13, 2, 8, 7, 6]
>       >>> flatten([[9, [7, 1, 13, 2], 8], [2, 6]])
>       [9, 7, 1, 13, 2, 8, 2, 6]
>       >>> flatten([[5, [5, [1, 5], 5], 5], [5, 6]])
>       [5, 5, 1, 5, 5, 5, 5, 6]
>     """
>     global new_list
>     for i in num_list:
>         if type(i) == type([]):
>             new_list = flatten(i)
>         else:
>             new_list.append(i)
>     tmp = new_list
>     new_list=[]
>     return tmp
>
> if __name__=="__main__":
>     import doctest
>     doctest.testmod()
>
> PS - My knowledge of Python is still very basic and I am trying to dive into
> it as deeper as I can. Solutions on Stackoverflow.com were beyond my
> understandability.

Using doctest and getting a recursive function right don't strike me as
basic.  This is pretty good for a beginner.

I'll second Peter Otten regarding the use of a global.  It's best to
avoid using globals whenever possible, not just for reentrancy, but for
more readable and maintainable code.  A function should be self-contained
if possible.  There's no reason you can't use a local variable in this
code (and you only need one, not two), and the resulting code would be
more readable.

Regarding this line:
    if type(i) == type([]):

This also works:
    if type(i) == list:

But this is better:
    if isinstance(i, list):

isinstance(obj, class) means "is obj an instance of class or a subtype
of class", so it's more general.

Does anyone see a way to do this with a list comprehension?  I don't.
Would be a neat hack if it can be done.

-- 
Tom Zych / freethinker at pobox.com
"Because if they didn't vote for a lizard," said Ford, "the wrong lizard
might get in." -- DNA