Document when to use izip_longest().

This commit is contained in:
Raymond Hettinger 2008-01-22 19:51:41 +00:00
parent 74b8e76ec1
commit 48c6293500
1 changed files with 6 additions and 15 deletions

View File

@ -269,22 +269,13 @@ loops that truncate the stream.
When no iterables are specified, returns a zero length iterator instead of When no iterables are specified, returns a zero length iterator instead of
raising a :exc:`TypeError` exception. raising a :exc:`TypeError` exception.
Note, the left-to-right evaluation order of the iterables is guaranteed. This The left-to-right evaluation order of the iterables is guaranteed. This
makes possible an idiom for clustering a data series into n-length groups using makes possible an idiom for clustering a data series into n-length groups
``izip(*[iter(s)]*n)``. For data that doesn't fit n-length groups exactly, the using ``izip(*[iter(s)]*n)``.
last tuple can be pre-padded with fill values using ``izip(*[chain(s,
[None]*(n-1))]*n)``.
Note, when :func:`izip` is used with unequal length inputs, subsequent :func:`izip` should only be used with unequal length inputs when you don't
iteration over the longer iterables cannot reliably be continued after care about trailing, unmatched values from the longer iterables. If those
:func:`izip` terminates. Potentially, up to one entry will be missing from values are important, use :func:`izip_longest` instead.
each of the left-over iterables. This occurs because a value is fetched from
each iterator in turn, but the process ends when one of the iterators
terminates. This leaves the last fetched values in limbo (they cannot be
returned in a final, incomplete tuple and they are cannot be pushed back into
the iterator for retrieval with ``it.next()``). In general, :func:`izip`
should only be used with unequal length inputs when you don't care about
trailing, unmatched values from the longer iterables.
.. function:: izip_longest(*iterables[, fillvalue]) .. function:: izip_longest(*iterables[, fillvalue])