< BACKMake Note | BookmarkCONTINUE >
156135250194107072078175030179198180024228156016206217188240240204175205161202075198139182

pass Statement

One Python statement not found in C is the pass statement. Because Python does not use curly braces to delimit blocks of code, there are places where code is syntactically required. We do not have the equivalent empty braces or single semicolon the way C has to indicate "do nothing." If you use a Python statement that expects a sub-block of code or suite, and one is not present, you will get a syntax error condition. For this reason, we have pass, a statement that does absolutely nothing—it is a true NOP, to steal the "No OPeration" assembly code jargon. Style- and development-wise, pass is also useful in places where your code will eventually go, but has not been written yet (e.g., in stubs for example):

					
def foo_func():

    pass

				

or

					
if user_choice == 'do_calc':

    pass

else:

    pass

				

This code structure is helpful during the development or debugging stages because you want the structure to be there while the code is being created, but you do not want it to interfere with the other parts of the code that have been completed already. In places where you want nothing to execute, pass is a good tool to have in the box.

Another popular place is with exception handling, which we will take a look at in Chapter 10; this is where you can track an error if it occurs, but take no action if it is not fatal (you just want to keep a record of the event or perform an operation under the covers if an error occurs).


Last updated on 9/14/2001
Core Python Programming, © 2002 Prentice Hall PTR

< BACKMake Note | BookmarkCONTINUE >

© 2002, O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.