2d array of zeros
You should use numpy.zeros
. If that isn't an option, you want the first version. In the second version, if you change one value, it will be changed elsewhere in the list -- e.g.:
>>> a = [[0]*10]*10
>>> a
[[0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]]
>>> a[0][0] = 1
>>> a
[[1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], [1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], [1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], [1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], [1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], [1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], [1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], [1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], [1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], [1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]]
This is because (as you read the expression from the inside out), you create a list of 10 zeros. You then create a list of 10 references to that initial list of 10 zeros.
Note that:
zeros = [ [0]*M for _ in range(N) ] # Use xrange if you're still stuck in the python2.x dark ages :).
will also work and it avoids the nested list comprehension. If numpy
isn't on the table, this is the form I would use.
for Python 3 (no more xrange), the preferred answer
zeros = [ [0] * N for _ in range(M)]
for M x N array of zeros