"John Salerno" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message news:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Paul McGuire wrote: > > > Your coding style is a little dated - are you using an old version of > > Python? This style is the old-fashioned way: > > I'm sure it has more to do with the fact that I'm new to Python, but > what is old-fashioned about open()? Does file() do anything different? I > know they are synonymous, but I like open because it seems like it's > more self-describing than 'file'. >
I think it is just part of the objectification trend - "f = open('xyzzy.dat')" is sort of a functional/verb concept, so it has to return something, and its something non-objecty like a file handle - urk! Instead, using "f = file('xyzzy.dat')" is more of an object construction concept - "I am creating a file object around 'xyzzy.dat' that I will interact with." In practice, yes, they both do the same thing. Note though, the asymmetry of "f = open('blah')" and "f.close()" - there is no "close(f)". I see now in the help for "file" this statement: Note: open() is an alias for file(). Sounds like some global namespace pollution that may be up for review come the new Python millennium (Py3K, that is). > > Now to your question about why '\n' lines persist into your new list. The > > answer is - you are STILL UPDATING THE LIST YOUR ARE ITERATING OVER!!! > > Doh! I see that now! :) > Sorry about the ALL CAPS... I think I got a little rant-ish in that last post, didn't mean to shout. :) Thanks for being a good sport, -- Paul -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list