5.11 bisect -- Array bisection algorithm
This module provides support for maintaining a list in sorted order without having to sort the list after each insertion. For long lists of items with expensive comparison operations, this can be an improvement over the more common approach. The module is called bisect because it uses a basic bisection algorithm to do its work. The source code may be most useful as a working example of the algorithm (the boundary conditions are already right!).
The following functions are provided:
-
Locate the proper insertion point for item in list to
maintain sorted order. The parameters lo and hi may be
used to specify a subset of the list which should be considered; by
default the entire list is used. If item is already present
in list, the insertion point will be before (to the left of)
any existing entries. The return value is suitable for use as the
first parameter to
list.insert(). This assumes that list is already sorted. New in version 2.1.
- Similar to bisect_left(), but returns an insertion point which comes after (to the right of) any existing entries of item in list. New in version 2.1.
- Alias for bisect_right().
-
Insert item in list in sorted order. This is equivalent
to
list.insert(bisect.bisect_left(list, item, lo, hi), item). This assumes that list is already sorted. New in version 2.1.
- Similar to insort_left(), but inserting item in list after any existing entries of item. New in version 2.1.
- Alias for insort_right().
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Release 2.4, documentation updated on 29 November 2004.