If the my_list variable is global, you can't do:
my_list = []
that just create a new reference in the local scope.
Also, I found disgusting using the global keyword, so how can I empty a list using its methods?
views:
139answers:
2
+1
A:
How about the following to delete all list items:
def emptyit():
del l[:]
Joe Koberg
2010-08-31 16:47:57
Replacing a practically atomic statement with a function?
Beau Martínez
2010-08-31 18:22:26
@Beau, it ain't atomic at all. I wouldn't say that 'practically' even comes close.
Aaron Gallagher
2010-08-31 18:39:19
@Aaron You're right... Emptying a list is about as unatomic as you can get. I meant semantically atomic, by which I mean it's read as just one statement in the language (delete all of this list).
Beau Martínez
2010-08-31 18:43:30
@Beau: The function creates a local scope, that seemed pretty obvious that's what he was doing from the question... He doesn't use the global keyword, and if he wasn't in a function it would just modify the in-scope variable, not the local copy. ....
Joe Koberg
2010-09-01 00:38:15