[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > When the index doesn't matter to me, I tend to write it as: > > for _ in xrange (1,n): > some code > > An alternative way of indicating that you don't care about the loop > index would be > > for dummy in xrange (1,n): > some code > > But I like using _ because it's only 1 character and communicates well > the idea "I don't care about this variable."
Not to me. As you noted, '_' is easily ambiguous. Explicit is better than implicit; the name 'dummy' makes it much clearer. > The only potential disadvantages I can see are threefold: > > 1. It might be a little jarring to people not used to it. I do admit > it looks pretty strange at first. > > 2. The variable _ has special meaning at the interactive interpreter > prompt. There may be some confusion because of this. The name '_' also has an established meaning for the "gettext" internationalisation/localisation library, pre-dating Python and documented in <URL:http://www.python.org/doc/lib/module-gettext>. -- \ "I have a large seashell collection, which I keep scattered on | `\ the beaches all over the world. Maybe you've seen it." | _o__) —Steven Wright | Ben Finney -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
