I can never remember that `joinedList = ",".join(listOfThings)` is how Python joins together a list of things with commas because it is 100% bass-awkwards of how I think of the operation of joining together a list of things, which would be spelled `joinedList = listOfThings.join(",")`
Literally every time I'm away from Python for more than like, a week, I end up searching for how to do this. >_<
@genehack The way I think of it is you’re asking an immutable thing (a string) to join a mutable thing (a list). The other way around would on the surface imply an action on a mutable thing.
Also: you’re asking a like thing to make a like thing (asking a string to make a string). “Hey comma, join this shit together for me would you?”
My complaint is it doesn’t str the elements while doing so. 🤷🏻♀️
@davep i mean, that's the thing: (in my head) the action *IS* on the mutable thing, it just happens to be an action that returns a new value instead of mutating the thing.
@genehack I could have worded that better: I meant “imply that a mutable thing is being asked to do this acton”. Contrast with:
>>> l = [3,2,1]
>>> l.sort()
>>> l
[1, 2, 3]
When you ask a list to sort, it mutates itself. It would sort of look odd that you’re asking it to join as it would suggest that it will join itself… somehow?
But…
@genehack …I think the thing that’s even more important is that `str.join` is for joining any sort of iterable. As well as lists there’s also sets and tuples and so on, and indeed anything that implements __iter__. Eg:
```
class Stuff:
def __iter__(self):
return (str(n) for n in range(30))
print(",".join(Stuff()))
```
So Stuff doesn’t need to grow a `join` method.
@pies @genehack I don’t think I understand what you’re not convinced about. This is what join is in Python. I’m not trying to be convincing, I’m just stating a fact of its design and utility (and offering how I remember it so it flows off my fingers).