Dave Kuhlman wrote: > On Wed, Dec 19, 2007 at 09:41:13PM -0500, bob gailer wrote: > >> 1 - I see no value in introducing variables. I'd just use string constants: >> >> action = "moving" >> . >> . >> if action == "jumping": >> >> etc. > > I agree. But, some people do prefer something that looks a bit > like an enum. If so, here is a Python idiom for enums:
One big advantage to using variables over string constants is that there is a big danger of misspelling one of the constants and not noticing the error. action = "moving" ... if action == "moveing": # oops, this never gets executed if you had used variables, Python would catch the error as an attempt to use an undefined variable: action = MOVING ... if action == MOVEING: <-- error caught by python > Mode_none, Mode_moving, Mode_inserting, Mode_jumping = range(4) > > action = Mode_moving > > if action == Mode_jumping: > o > o > o > > - Dave > > _______________________________________________ Tutor maillist - Tutor@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor
