Python for loop doesn't have expected results

Question

I got a bit stuck with a for loop - what I can see it is doing appears correct but isn't exactly what I'm trying to accomplish with it. I've come from a C background but any advice here would be beneficial.

def deal(player_num, cards):
    a = 0
    z = 0
    i = 0
    b = 0
    c = player_num
    hand = [0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16]    
    for a in range(player_num):
        hand[a] = cards[i] + cards[i+b+c]
        b == b+1
        i == i+1
        z == z+1
    return hand

So the for a in range(player_num) seems to be working (appends a++) but hand[0], hand[1], etc. gets the same hand. I guess it loops a but not the other variables, so I need to use more than 1 nested loop to get i++, b++ and c++?

mgilson · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-02 17:43:48Z

6

b == b+1 is a logical expression (returning False every time), not an assignment. I'm guessing you want something like: b += 1

answered Mar 2, 2013 at 17:43

mgilson

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4 Comments

pydsigner Over a year ago

Since he wants b++, there isn't much debate, I'd say.

DaveG2013 Over a year ago

Ah perfect, thanks, so == doesn't assign, its only used to compare :)

mgilson Over a year ago

Well ... there really is no equivalent to c's ++ operator in python since python integers are immutable. But yeah. I'm pretty sure this is what OP wants.

mgilson Over a year ago

@user2127162 -- Precisely.

sepp2k · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-02 17:43:55Z

4

== is the equality operator in Python. = is the assignment operator.

== checks whether its left operand and its right operand are equal and return True or False accordingly. b and b+1 will never be equal to each other and either way it does not make sense to perform an operation without side-effect (like comparing two values for equality) and then do nothing with its result.

If you want to change the values of your variables, use the assignment operator = instead of ==.

answered Mar 2, 2013 at 17:43

sepp2k

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1 Comment

mgilson Over a year ago

I suppose you could create a class such that b == b + 1, but that certainly isn't the case for integers.

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