Python equivalent of Perl's idiom do this or that, usually known as "or die"?

Question

IN Perl it's quite common to do things like function() || alternative(). If the first returns false it will run the second one.

How can this be easily implemented in Python?

Update

Examples (pseudocode):

x = func() or raise exeption
x = func() or print(x)
func() or print something

If possible solutions should work with Python 2.5+

Note: There is an implied assumption that you cannot modify the func() to raise exceptions, nor to write wrappers.

Answer 1

Use or: Python uses short circuit evaluation for boolean expressions:

function() or alternative()

If function returs True, the final value of this expression is determined and alternative is not evaluated at all.

Answer 2

you can use or:

function() or alternative()

also, there is conditional expression defined in PEP 308:

x = 5 if condition() else 0

Which is sometimes useful in expressions and bit more readable.