Accessing specific variable in Python list

Question

I am reading in Python a Matlab mat file, which contains three arrays: tom, dick and harry. In Python, I use a for loop which does operations on this array list. Following is the demo-code:

import scipy.io as sio
mat_contents = sio.loadmat('names.mat') # with arrays tom, dick and harry
varlist = ['tom', 'dick', 'harry']
for w in varlist:
    cl = mat_contents[w]
    # some more operations in the loop

Now that I have to debug and do not want to access all the three varlist for the for loop. How to run the for loop only for harry? I know varlist[2] gets me harry, but I could not succeed getting it alone for the for loop.

put if w == "harry": do operations... inside for loop. Please specify the input and desired output if it doesn't help, it will help to understand the question better. — JkShaw
– JkShaw, Commented Apr 25, 2017 at 10:08
@jyotish: Thanks. I could combine the for and if using the generator expressions and make it work. I feel this is still a way around. I hope that someone would provide a direct answer for the question. — SKPS
– SKPS, Commented Apr 25, 2017 at 11:08

Fabian N. · Accepted Answer · 2017-04-25 16:53:00Z

1

In response to your comment: now controllable with a single variable:

import scipy.io as sio
mat_contents = sio.loadmat('names.mat') # with arrays tom, dick and harry
varlist = ['tom', 'dick', 'harry']

# set it to -1 to disable it and use all arrays
debug_index = -1

# or set it to an index to only use that array
debug_index = 1

for w in [varlist[debug_index]] if debug_index + 1 else varlist:
    cl = mat_contents[w]
    # some more operations in the loop

edited Apr 25, 2017 at 16:53

answered Apr 25, 2017 at 11:14

Fabian N.

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1 Comment

SKPS Over a year ago

This serves the purpose. But it is not what I am looking for. Lets say I would like to debug for tom. Can it be made as simple as changing the index and not typing the names for each?

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