John Zelle wrote: >This is why in teaching I prefer to use explicit tests: > >if x != 0: > do something > >Rather than > >if x: > do something > > > Yeah, so in the case I am looking at there is a branching based on whether either of 2 arrays are all zeros.
So to achieve numpy compatibility, and to make the code more understandable to folks (like myself) who have some trouble in switching gears between numbers being used as numbers and at the same time being used for their truth values (kind of a trick really), I might do if sum(x) !=0: use this array else: use other array. kind of thing. The case here being distinguishable, in my mind, from the situation where one purposefully fills an array with 0's and 1's, with the intention of representing truth values. In *that* case the if sum(x) !=0 would work just as well, but now would seem to be the trick solution rather than the elegant one. Interesting how context matters in these kind of styling questions. Assuming I am making sense... Is concerning myself with this distinction sound programming, or is the hard core answer more to the effect what works works, what doesn't doesn't - and one should focus only on that, and perhaps the performance impact of available alternatives? Though I guess we are all allowed to define "sound programming" for ourselves. Art Art >--John > > > _______________________________________________ Edu-sig mailing list [email protected] http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/edu-sig
