Paul Hankin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > import datetime > > months = 'Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec'.split() > > def last_months(n): > month = datetime.date.today().month > return [months[(month - i - 1) % 12] for i in range(n)] > > print last_months(3)
Heck you don't even need the magic number 12 in there. import datetime months = 'Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec'.split() def last_months(n): month = datetime.date.today().month return [months[(month - i - 1) % len(months) for i in range(n)] In general I try to avoid magic numbers: always be explicit about the semantic purpose of the number, either by binding a meaningful name to it and only using that reference thereafter, or showing how that value is derived. -- \ "I hope some animal never bores a hole in my head and lays its | `\ eggs in my brain, because later you might think you're having a | _o__) good idea but it's just eggs hatching." -- Jack Handey | Ben Finney -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list