> Subject: [Tutor] Which is safer and easier to code,raw_input or > int(raw_input))?
val = int(raw_input()) is the same as val = raw_input() val = int(val) in terms of safety because it is the same I/O mechanism. Arguably wrapping the int() call around it makes it marginally safer since it throws an exception that bit sooner. Both are much safer than using input(), which may be what you had in mind? The int() wrapper may look like extra typing but if you include the extra quote signs you need at every comparison without the int conversion it rapidly evens out. if val == '5':... elif val == '7':... as opposed to if val == 5:... elif val == 7:... etc Also if you just capture the string its much harder to write control logic to correct an invalid number entry (eg the user types 'four' instead of '4', or even 'l'(ell) instead of '1') later than at the time you prompt for it, again a lot of extra coding. input() by comparison has so many opportunities to go wrong that, except for small personal use programs, its a non starter. Its not only malicious badness but using the example above, an ell instead of a one would result in the program variable 'l' being evaluated. 'l' could be a list, a function object, a string, anything! int(raw_input()) would detect the problem. My 2 cents, Alan G. _______________________________________________ Tutor maillist - Tutor@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor
