<!DOCTYPE qhelp PUBLIC

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<qhelp>

<overview>

<p>Using a constant value as a test in a conditional statement renders the statement pointless as only

one branch will be run regardless of any other factors.</p>

</overview>

<recommendation>

<p>If the conditional statement is required for debugging or similar then use a variable instead.

Otherwise, remove the conditional statement and any associated dead code.</p>

</recommendation>

<example>

<p>In the first example the <code>if</code> statement will always be executed and therefore can be removed. The

contents of the statement should be kept though.</p>

<p>In the second example the statement <code>l = 100</code> is never executed because <code>1 > 100</code> is always false.

However, it is likely that the intention was <code>l > 100</code> (the number '1' being misread as the letter 'l')

and that the test should be corrected, rather than deleted.

</p><sample src="ConstantInConditional.py" />

</example>

<references>

<li>Python: <a href="http://docs.python.org/reference/compound_stmts.html#the-if-statement">The If Statement</a>.</li>

<li>Python: <a href="http://docs.python.org/reference/compound_stmts.html#the-while-statement">The While Statement</a>.</li>

<li>Python: <a href="http://docs.python.org/reference/expressions.html#literals">Literals (constant values)</a>.</li>

</references>

</qhelp>