[erlang-questions] lists:keyfind as an alternative to lists:keysearch

[Mazen Harake]

IF this function is going to be implemented then

+1 for 'not_found'

imho false implies an "is" function and error means that there was an 
error with the function.

not_found is more logical.

/M

Richard Carlsson wrote:
> Mikael Pettersson wrote:
>
>   
>>  > Only that I always wince at the mixing of 'false' with {...}. Since this
>>  > is a new function, I'd prefer 'error' (to pick another atom that is
>>  > frequently used in Erlang libraries).
>>
>> Except that it's not actually an error to ask "search list L
>> for a tuple T with value K in element N and return T, or tell
>> me if none could be found". So I'd argue that 'false' is much
>> more appropriate than 'error'.
>>     
>
> I  tried to narrow it down to just one alternative suggestion, and
> {ok,Value}|'error' is the convention used by dict:find. It seems
> to depend on what you read into the name of the function: if the
> name is "find" or "keyfind", aren't you expecting it to find the
> element? You didn't use the "lookforsomethingthatmightnotbethere"
> function. Anyhow, I wouldn't have suggested 'error' unless there
> was some precedence for it. I prefer 'none' or 'not_found' for
> this kind of return value, but consistency is also a good thing
> (so maybe 'false' is still best).
>
>   
>> At least, _I_ don't want that to be an error, since that would
>> require silly coding like:
>> 1. ask if the element is there, but don't return it (query, boolean)
>> 2. if it's there, get it (lookup, throws exn on failure not never here)
>> when what one often wants is:
>> 1. if the element is there, return it, otherwise return 'no'
>>     
>
> Yes, but you don't use 1+2 for dict:find() just because it might
> return the atom 'error', do you? I didn't suggest that keyfind
> should throw an exception.
>
>     /Richard
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