Python "if" statement ignored

Question

I'm triggering loop within loop in Python, if one of the multiple conditions ("or") is met. The script seems to skip the "if" statement and enters inner loop without meeting required conditions.

Code

# Begin TestCase
# Main logic: execute RemoteController macro, if expected state == true, set 'Success', else: Fail
for macroname_n in range (32):
    handler("RemoteController", "SET", "[{0}_{1}_{2}]".format(testcase, macroname_n, platform), "")
    result = pbc_json(disk, testcase_area, testcase, platform, filename_n, coord_n)
    filename_n += 1
    coord_n += 1
    if macroname_n == 15 or 20:
        success_counter = 0
        for extra_loop in range(15):
            handler("RemoteController", "SET", "\"down 4\"", "")
            result = pbc_json(disk, testcase_area, testcase, platform, filename_n, coord_n)
            filename_n += 1
            if result >= 50:
                success_counter += 1
        if success_counter <> 15:
            result = 0

Thanks in advance!

You want to say `if macroname_n in (15, 20):` or `if macroname_n == 15 or macroname_n == 20:`. — martineau, Jan 29 '13 at 10:43

score 12 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 29 '13 at 10:42

This line does not do what you want:

if macroname_n == 15 or 20:

This is parsed as follows:

if (macroname_n == 15) or (20):

Since 20 is always true in a boolean context, the statement is always true. What you actually want is this:

if macroname_n in (15, 20):

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 29 '13 at 10:42

3

20 always evaluates to true in a boolean context. Therefore, macroname_n == 15 or 20 is always true.

You probably want to write:

if macroname_n == 15 or macroname_n == 20:
    success_counter = 0
    # ...

answered Jan 29 '13 at 10:42

Frédéric Hamidi

258,201
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Or `macroname in (15, 20)` – Paolo Moretti Jan 29 '13 at 10:43
@Paolo, sure, but would a tuple actually be worth it when comparing against only two values? – Frédéric Hamidi Jan 29 '13 at 10:48

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Jan 29 '13 at 10:43

1

if macroname_n == 15 or 20:

should be:

 if macroname_n == 15 or macroname_n == 20:

otherwise will it always read 20 as true.

answered Jan 29 '13 at 10:43

Bertil Baron

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Python "if" statement ignored

3 Answers3