How to toggle a value in Python

Question

What is the most efficient way to toggle between 0 and 1?

Answer 1

Using exception handler

>>> def toogle(x):
...     try:
...         return x/x-x/x
...     except  ZeroDivisionError:
...         return 1
... 
>>> x=0
>>> x=toogle(x)
>>> x
1
>>> x=toogle(x)
>>> x
0
>>> x=toogle(x)
>>> x
1
>>> x=toogle(x)
>>> x
0

Ok, I'm the worst:

import math
import sys

d={1:0,0:1}
l=[1,0]

def exception_approach(x):
    try:
        return x/x-x/x
    except  ZeroDivisionError:
        return 1

def cosinus_approach(x):
    return abs( int( math.cos( x * 0.5 * math.pi  ) ) )

def module_approach(x):
    return  (x + 1)  % 2

def subs_approach(x):
    return  x - 1

def if_approach(x):
    return 0 if x == 1 else 1

def list_approach(x):
    global l
    return l[x]

def dict_approach(x):
    global d
    return d[x]

def xor_approach(x):
    return x^1

def not_approach(x):
    b=bool(x)
    p=not b
    return int(p)

funcs=[ exception_approach, cosinus_approach, dict_approach, module_approach, subs_approach, if_approach, list_approach, xor_approach, not_approach ]

f=funcs[int(sys.argv[1])]
print "\n\n\n", f.func_name
x=0
for _ in range(0,100000000):
    x=f(x)

Answer 2

Surprisingly nobody mention good old division modulo 2:

In : x = (x + 1)  % 2 ; x
Out: 1

In : x = (x + 1)  % 2 ; x
Out: 0

In : x = (x + 1)  % 2 ; x
Out: 1

In : x = (x + 1)  % 2 ; x
Out: 0

Note that it is equivalent to x = x - 1, but the advantage of modulo technique is that the size of the group or length of the interval can be bigger then just 2 elements, thus giving you a similar to round-robin interleaving scheme to loop over.

Now just for 2, toggling can be a bit shorter (using bit-wise operator):

x = x ^ 1

Answer 3

I use abs function, very useful on loops

x = 1
for y in range(0, 3):
    x = abs(x - 1)

x will be 0.

Answer 4

Trigonometric approach, just because sin and cos functions are cool.

>>> import math
>>> def generator01():
...     n=0
...     while True:
...         yield abs( int( math.cos( n * 0.5 * math.pi  ) ) )
...         n+=1
... 
>>> g=generator01() 
>>> g.next()
1
>>> g.next()
0
>>> g.next()
1
>>> g.next()
0

Answer 5

one way to toggle is by using Multiple assignment

>>> a = 5
>>> b = 3

>>> t = a, b = b, a
>>> t[0]
3

>>> t = a, b = b, a
>>> t[0]
5

Using itertools:

In [12]: foo = itertools.cycle([1, 2, 3])

In [13]: next(foo)
Out[13]: 1

In [14]: next(foo)
Out[14]: 2

In [15]: next(foo)
Out[15]: 3

In [16]: next(foo)
Out[16]: 1

In [17]: next(foo)
Out[17]: 2