#!/usr/bin/env python3 """ Python 3 removed the 'cmp' function and raises a Type error when you try to compare different types. This module recreates Python 2 style 'cmp' function which produces a "total ordering" for mixed type lists. """ import functools import itertools def cmp(a, b): """ >>> cmp(1, 1) 0 >>> cmp('A', 'A') 0 >>> cmp(None, None) 0 >>> cmp(('A', 'B'), ('A', 'B')) 0 >>> cmp(['A', 'B'], ('A', 'B')) 0 >>> cmp((1, 2), (1, 2)) 0 >>> cmp((1, 2), [1, 2]) 0 >>> cmp(1, 2) -1 >>> cmp('A', 'B') -1 >>> cmp(('A', 'B'), ('A', 'C')) -1 >>> cmp(['A', 'B'], ('A', 'C')) -1 >>> cmp((1, 2), (1, 3)) -1 >>> cmp((1, 2), [1, 3]) -1 >>> cmp(2, 1) 1 >>> cmp('B', 'A') 1 >>> cmp(('A', 'C'), ('A', 'B')) 1 >>> cmp(['A', 'C'], ('A', 'B')) 1 >>> cmp((1, 3), (1, 2)) 1 >>> cmp((1, 3), [1, 2]) 1 >>> cmp(1, None) 1 >>> cmp('A', None) 1 >>> cmp(('A', 'B'), None) 1 >>> cmp(['A', 'B'], None) 1 >>> cmp((1, 2), None) 1 >>> cmp((1, 2), None) 1 >>> cmp(None, 2) -1 >>> cmp(None, 'B') -1 >>> cmp(None, ('A', 'B')) -1 >>> cmp(None, ('A', 'C')) -1 >>> cmp(None, (1, 2)) -1 >>> cmp(None, [1, 3]) -1 >>> cmp(1, 'A') -1 >>> cmp('A', 1) 1 >>> cmp(('A', 'B'), 1) 1 >>> cmp(1, ['A', 'B']) -1 >>> cmp((1, 2), 1) 1 >>> cmp(1, (1, 2)) -1 >>> cmp('A', 'AA') -1 >>> cmp('AA', 'A') 1 >>> cmp(b'A', b'A') 0 >>> cmp(b'A', b'AA') -1 >>> cmp(b'AA', b'A') 1 """ if not isinstance(a, (str, bytes)): try: for i, j in itertools.zip_longest(iter(a), iter(b)): r = cmp(i, j) if r != 0: return r return 0 except TypeError: pass if type(a) == type(b): if a == b: return 0 elif a < b: return -1 elif a > b: return 1 else: raise SystemError return cmp(a.__class__.__name__, b.__class__.__name__) cmp_key = functools.cmp_to_key(cmp) if __name__ == "__main__": import doctest doctest.testmod()