How to stop one or multiple for loop(s)

Question

I want to determine if every element in my n x n list is the same. i.e. [[0,0],[0,0]] returns true but [[0,1],[0,0]] will return false. I was thinking of stoping immediately when I find an element that is not the same as the first element. i.e:

n=L[0][0]
m=len(A)
for i in range(m):
 for j in range(m):
   if
    L[i][j]==n: -continue the loop-
   else: -stop the loop-

I would like to stop this loop if L[i][j]!==n and return false, otherwise return true. How would I go about implementing this?

Answer 1

There are several ways to do it:

The simple Way: a sentinel variable

n = L[0][0]
m = len(A)
found = False
for i in range(m):
   if found:
      break
   for j in range(m):
     if L[i][j] != n: 
       found = True
       break

Pros: easy to understand Cons: additional conditional statement for every loop

The hacky Way: raising an exception

n = L[0][0]
m = len(A)

try:
  for x in range(3):
    for z in range(3):
     if L[i][j] != n: 
       raise StopIteration
except StopIteration:
   pass

Pros: very straightforward Cons: you use Exception outside of their semantic

The clean Way: make a function

def is_different_value(l, elem, size):
  for x in range(size):
    for z in range(size):
     if l[i][j] != elem: 
       return True
  return False
   
if is_different_value(L, L[0][0], len(A)):
  print "Doh"

pros: much cleaner and still efficient cons: yet feels like C

The pythonic way: use iteration as it should be

def is_different_value(iterable):
  first = iterable[0][0]
  for l in iterable:
    for elem in l:
       if elem != first: 
          return True
  return False
   
if is_different_value(L):
  print "Doh"

pros: still clean and efficient cons: you reinvdent the wheel

The guru way: use any():

def is_different_value(iterable):
  first = iterable[0][0]
  return any(cell != first for col in iterable for cell in col)

if is_different_value(L):
  print "Doh"

pros: you'll feel empowered with dark powers cons: people that will read you code may start to dislike you

Answer 2

I know this question was asked a long time ago, but if that could help anyone else, here's my answer:

I find it easier to understand with the use of a while loop and it will stop both for loops that way. The code below also return the True/False as asked when the function check_nxn_list() is called. Some parameters may have to be added in the function call.

def check_nxn_list():
    state = True
    n=L[0][0]
    m=len(A)
    while state == True:
        for i in range(m):
            for j in range(m):
                if L[i][j]!=n:
                    state = False
        break
    return state

The break at the end of the while loop is required to end the loop even if state stays True.

Answer 3

In order to jump out of a loop, you need to use the break statement.

n=L[0][0]
m=len(A)
for i in range(m):
 for j in range(m):
   if L[i][j]!=n:
       break;

Here you have the official Python manual with the explanation about break and continue, and other flow control statements:

http://docs.python.org/tutorial/controlflow.html

EDITED: As a commenter pointed out, this does only end the inner loop. If you need to terminate both loops, there is no "easy" way (others have given you a few solutions). One possiblity would be to raise an exception:

def f(L, A):
    try:
        n=L[0][0]
        m=len(A)
        for i in range(m):
             for j in range(m):
                 if L[i][j]!=n:
                     raise RuntimeError( "Not equal" )
        return True
    except:
        return False

Answer 4

Try to simply use break statement.

Also you can use the following code as an example:

a = [[0,1,0], [1,0,0], [1,1,1]]
b = [[0,0,0], [0,0,0], [0,0,0]]

def check_matr(matr, expVal):    
    for row in matr:
        if len(set(row)) > 1 or set(row).pop() != expVal:
            print 'Wrong'
            break# or return
        else:
            print 'ok'
    else:
        print 'empty'
check_matr(a, 0)
check_matr(b, 0)

Answer 5

To achieve this you would do something like:

n=L[0][0]
m=len(A)
for i in range(m):
    for j in range(m):
        if L[i][j]==n:
            //do some processing
        else:
            break;

Answer 6

Others ways to do the same is:

el = L[0][0]
m=len(L)

print L == [[el]*m]*m

Or:

first_el = L[0][0]
print all(el == first_el for inner_list in L for el in inner_list)

Answer 7

Use break and continue to do this. Breaking nested loops can be done in Python using the following:

for a in range(...):
   for b in range(..):
      if some condition:
         # break the inner loop
         break
   else:
      # will be called if the previous loop did not end with a `break` 
      continue
   # but here we end up right after breaking the inner loop, so we can
   # simply break the outer loop as well
   break

Another way is to wrap everything in a function and use return to escape from the loop.