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append on lists

Grant Edwards grante at visi.com
Tue Sep 16 09:47:04 EDT 2008 
On 2008-09-16, Armin <a at nospam.org> wrote:
> John Machin wrote:
>> On Sep 16, 6:45 am, Armin <a... at nospam.org> wrote:
>> 
>>> Yes, but this is very unconvenient.
>>> If d should reference the list a extended with a single list element
>>> you need at least two lines
>>>
>>> a.append(7)
>>> d=a
>>>
>>> and not more intuitive d = a.append(7)
>> 
>> Methods/functions which return a value other than the formal None and
>> also mutate their environment are "a snare and a delusion". Don't wish
>> for them.
>
>
>
>    c = [9,10]
>    [1,2,3,4,7].append(c) -> Is this a valid expression?

Yes.

>    The 'value' of that expression is None.

Correct.

>    However ... that's the way of the implementation of the
>    append method. It's a little bit confusing to me ...

No, that's a way of calling the append method of a list.  The
fact that you don't have a name bound to that list doesn't
change the fact that the list is mutable and you appended
[9,10] to it.

-- 
Grant Edwards                   grante             Yow! Are the STEWED PRUNES
                                  at               still in the HAIR DRYER?
                               visi.com
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