AJG519
AJG519

Reputation: 3379

Return value in generator function Python 2

I'm wondering how I can write a generator function that also has the option to return a value. In Python 2, you get the following error message if a generator function tries to return a value. SyntaxError: 'return' with argument inside generator

Is it possible to write a function where I specify if I want to receive a generator or not?

For example:

def f(generator=False):
    if generator:
        yield 3
    else:
        return 3

Upvotes: 0

Views: 1003

Answers (1)

Łukasz Rogalski
Łukasz Rogalski

Reputation: 23243

Mandatory reading: Understanding Generators in Python

Key information:

yield anywhere in a function makes it a generator.

Function is marked as generator when code is parsed. Therefore, it's impossible to toggle function behavior (generator / not generator) based on argument passed in runtime.

Upvotes: 4

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