re.compile().split(): why it produces empty string as a first elementof the list

[alf]

Hi,
Let's run following:

>>> re.compile('(\[.*?\])').split('[aa]bb[11]22')

['', '[aa]', 'bb', '[11]', '22']


Why does it return '' as a first element of the list?

Any insight?

 

[alf]

Let's run following:

re.compile('(\[.*?\])').split('[aa]bb[11]22')

['', '[aa]', 'bb', '[11]', '22']

Why does it return '' as a first element of the list?

because the string starts with a separator.

</F>

so is it safe to say that the index of separator in the list is always
an odd number?

 

[Fredrik Lundh]

Let's run following:

re.compile('(\[.*?\])').split('[aa]bb[11]22')

['', '[aa]', 'bb', '[11]', '22']

Why does it return '' as a first element of the list?

because the string starts with a separator.

</F>

 

[Lawrence D'Oliveiro]

Let's run following:

re.compile('(\[.*?\])').split('[aa]bb[11]22')
['', '[aa]', 'bb', '[11]', '22']

Why does it return '' as a first element of the list?

because the string starts with a separator.

</F>

so is it safe to say that the index of separator in the list is always
an odd number?

Hard to see why not.