On Wed, Jul 2, 2008 at 6:31 AM, Daniele <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >>> If I have a set of numbers, or strings etc. which have been generated and I >>> then want to do something with them, for example a sum function call. Is >>> the best way to put those items in a list, or similar container, before >>> applying the function. >> >> Not only "best" but "necessary". the sum () builtin takes an >> iterator -- often a list, but needn't be -- of numbers. > > I'm a total newbie, but wouldn't it be possible to use a set (from > which I think you can get an iterator)?
Sets and lists are not interchangeable. A set removes duplicates, is not ordered and has a fast membership test; a list preserves duplicates, is ordered and is relatively slow for membership testing. Members of a set must be hashable, so you can't put lists and dicts into a set; members of a list can be any object. Yes, you can get an iterator from a set (and a list). Kent _______________________________________________ Tutor maillist - Tutor@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor
