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Date: Fri, 18 Nov 2011 13:59:13 +1100
Subject: Re: What exactly is "pass"? What should it be?
From: Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com>
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Xref: x330-a1.tempe.blueboxinc.net comp.lang.python:15851

On Fri, Nov 18, 2011 at 1:18 PM, John Ladasky <ladasky@my-deja.com> wrote:
> def _pass(*args):
> =A0 =A0pass
>
> def long_running_process(arg1, arg2, arg_etc, report =3D _pass):
>

For some compactness at the expense of brevity, you could use a lambda:

def long_running_process(arg1, arg2, arg_etc, report =3D lambda msg: None):

Other than that, I think it's fine. (Actually, the lambda has a slight
advantage in self-documentation; in the main function's definition it
specifies that the 'report' argument is a function that takes one
argument, the message. (Or whatever that argument is. Name it
appropriately.)

If you call your dummy function something else, it may help
readability/self-documentation too. On the other hand, it may not.
YMMV.

ChrisA