Question

Here’s what I want to write:

groups[m][n] = groups[m - 1][n] or ++gid

Here’s what I have to write:

g = groups[m - 1][n]
if g:
    groups[m,n] = g
else:
    gid += 1
    groups[m][n] = gid

Is there no more compact way of writing that in Python simply because it lacks a ++ operator?

---

A larger sample from a method I’m working on:

groups = [[0] * self.columns] * self.rows
gid = 0
for m in xrange(self.rows):
    for n in xrange(self.columns):
        stone = self[m, n]
        if stone == self[m - 1, n]:
            if groups[m - 1][n]:
                groups[m][n] = groups[m - 1][n]
            else:
                gid += 1
                groups[m][n] = gid
        elif stone == self[m, n - 1]:
            if groups[m][n - 1]:
                groups[m][n] = groups[m][n - 1]
            else:
                gid += 1
                groups[m][n] = gid

I think it’s a lot harder to read when I have to blow it out like that, plus I’m evaluating m-1 twice… I’m not sure how I can condense it though.

---

This is what I came up with:

I created a wrapper class around int:

class Int(object):
    def __init__(self, i):
        self.i = i

    def pre(self, a=1):
        self.i += a
        return Int(self.i)

    def post(self, a=1):
        cpy = Int(self.i)
        self.i += a
        return cpy

    def __repr__(self):
        return str(self.i)

    def __nonzero__(self):
        return self.i != 0

Which can be used like this:

def group_stones(self):
    groups = [[None for _ in xrange(self.cols)] for _ in xrange(self.rows)]
    gid = Int(0)
    for m in xrange(self.rows):
        for n in xrange(self.cols):
            stone = self[m, n]
            if stone == self[m - 1, n]:
                groups[m][n] = groups[m - 1][n] or gid.pre()
            elif stone == self[m, n - 1]:
                groups[m][n] = groups[m][n - 1] or gid.pre()
            else:
                groups[m][n] = gid.pre()

Much like I would do in other languages.

Answer 1

gid = [0] # list - mutable object

def incremented(gid):
    gid[0] += 1
    return gid[0]

groups[m][n] = groups[m - 1][n] or incremented(gid)

You can add some “magic” to your Int class:

class C(object):
    ...
    def __add__(self, other):
        self.i += other
        return self.__class__(self.i)
    def __radd__(self, other):
        cpy = self.__class__(self.i)
        self.i += other
        return cpy

>>> print Int(2) + 1 # pre
3
>>> i = Int(2)
>>> print 1 + i # post
2
>>> print i
3