Path: csiph.com!v102.xanadu-bbs.net!xanadu-bbs.net!feeder.erje.net!eu.feeder.erje.net!xlned.com!feeder5.xlned.com!newsfeed.xs4all.nl!newsfeed2.news.xs4all.nl!xs4all!newsgate.cistron.nl!newsgate.news.xs4all.nl!post.news.xs4all.nl!not-for-mail Return-Path: X-Original-To: python-list@python.org Delivered-To: python-list@mail.python.org X-Spam-Status: OK 0.011 X-Spam-Evidence: '*H*': 0.98; '*S*': 0.00; 'else:': 0.03; 'none,': 0.07; 'attributes': 0.09; 'def': 0.12; '__lt__(self,': 0.16; 'accordingly,': 0.16; 'subject:Elegant': 0.16; 'subject:compare': 0.16; 'message-id:@mail.gmail.com': 0.30; 'long.': 0.31; 'class': 0.32; 'run': 0.32; 'to:name:python-list': 0.33; 'skip:_ 10': 0.34; 'but': 0.35; 'received:google.com': 0.35; 'being': 0.38; 'problems': 0.38; 'to:addr:python-list': 0.38; 'to:addr:python.org': 0.39; 'real': 0.63 DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20120113; h=mime-version:date:message-id:subject:from:to:content-type; bh=nVG7V/FsEjv+18HyR82ikNO8dkH13CqsZiifnxgBDh4=; b=jKB/H+F04T7zcqrh4eFSxE982GUxFrHmUGsy7ink/G3PHzJjHV3yUtJmHgizGcXE/M QOeK60td4Gkth4HPUfX19cPVTqzqhCYi2s6/fp6MwoH/6bg0cLLw8NIXbSx0a/Sutav1 yxIIo+w8Vu2hYz+i4+ay/ILjksPEDvXg8UcmiedTrhY35x8VZRuNFhApootkwupUpPqM hfhdOvYRLMqp5TMuDWfsnWnP1l/NMHJXjNULd1TFw8nasfOxsi43HsDX+9cEJcryD12R Us/WXMHK73NudC/J7Z5IWzPzvaPeG/7ChQ+Gqefv7mRx92XsCn2YyksdCwozE7HPLJJm 4cCw== MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Received: by 10.205.7.6 with SMTP id om6mr2906593bkb.18.1376192460329; Sat, 10 Aug 2013 20:41:00 -0700 (PDT) Date: Sat, 10 Aug 2013 21:41:00 -0600 Subject: Elegant compare From: Jason Friedman To: python-list Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 X-BeenThere: python-list@python.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.15 Precedence: list List-Id: General discussion list for the Python programming language List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Newsgroups: comp.lang.python Message-ID: Lines: 16 NNTP-Posting-Host: 2001:888:2000:d::a6 X-Trace: 1376192467 news.xs4all.nl 15865 [2001:888:2000:d::a6]:54176 X-Complaints-To: abuse@xs4all.nl Xref: csiph.com comp.lang.python:52353 class my_class: def __init__(self, attr1, attr2): self.attr1 = attr1 #string self.attr2 = attr2 #string def __lt__(self, other): if self.attr1 < other.attr1: return True else: return self.attr2 < other.attr2 I will run into problems if attr1 or attr2 is None, and they legitimately can be. I know I can check for attr1 or attr2 or both being None and react accordingly, but my real class has ten attributes and that approach will be long. What are my alternatives?