python data type comparisons

Question

Possible Duplicate:
How does Python compare string and int?

Can any one explain the below.how is the 'a' compared to 1 Internally is a and 1 ASCII val is compared or how is it i.e, there is some conversion happening with 'a' and then compared or how is this.Please explain

>>> 'a' > 1
True
>>> 'a' > 'b'
False

Answer 1

Different types are compared lexigraphically, and "int" is < "string".

In python 3.x, it changes this so different types aren't comparible.

Bool < Int:

In [15]: True > 5
Out[15]: False

List > Int:

In [14]: [1, 2] > 5
Out[14]: True

Tuple > List:

In [16]: (1, 2) > [1, 2]
Out[16]: True

And for your example: Str > Int:

In [17]: '1' > 5
Out[17]: True

And so on and so forth.

Answer 2

from the manual :

CPython implementation detail: Objects of different types except numbers are ordered by their type names; objects of the same types that don’t support proper comparison are ordered by their address.

so "str" is greater then "int"