comparing data

[Patrick C]

hey everyone,

i'm going to be comparing data in a list. Just basic >= or <= type stuff.

However, the list i have somtimes starts with 'n/a'. That is somtimes it starts like this:

data = ['1.0', '2.0', '1.5']
or
data = ['n/a', '1.0', '2.0', '1.5']
or
data = ['n/a', 'n/a', '1.0', '2.0', '1.5']

so i thought i could do something like this. so that I can start comparing actual numbers vs each other...

>>> for i in x:
...     if i == 'n/a':
...         x.remove(i)

Should I just throw that bit in the code twice, back to back, in case i get a data list like the 3rd one (the oen w/ 2 n/a's) or does anyone have a more enlightened idea?

thanks

[bvdet]

hey everyone,

i'm going to be comparing data in a list. Just basic >= or <= type stuff.

However, the list i have somtimes starts with 'n/a'. That is somtimes it starts like this:

data = ['1.0', '2.0', '1.5']
or
data = ['n/a', '1.0', '2.0', '1.5']
or
data = ['n/a', 'n/a', '1.0', '2.0', '1.5']

so i thought i could do something like this. so that I can start comparing actual numbers vs each other...

>>> for i in x:
...     if i == 'n/a':
...         x.remove(i)

Should I just throw that bit in the code twice, back to back, in case i get a data list like the 3rd one (the oen w/ 2 n/a's) or does anyone have a more enlightened idea?

thanks

Here's a couple of options:

>>> data = ['n/a', 'n/a', '1.0', '2.0', '1.5']
>>> if 'n/a' in data:
...     data = [item for item in data if item != 'n/a']
...     
>>> data
['1.0', '2.0', '1.5']
>>> data = ['n/a', 'n/a', '1.0', '2.0', '1.5']
>>> while 'n/a' in data:
...     data.remove('n/a')
...     
>>> data
['1.0', '2.0', '1.5']
>>>