What is `scipy.i`?

Question

Out of random keyboard bashing, I ended up noticing that there is a variable in SciPy called i, which is assigned to the string '6'. (May be different on other machines?)

I tried using built-in help functions, but there is nothing assigned to scipy.i as it only refers to a string.

I also searched the docs and Google, but nothing came up.

Could it be related to version control, or something similar? By the way, I'm using Enthought Python on Windows 7 (both 64 bits).

This is far from being a critical question, I'm just curious about it!

Answer 1

Oh, this is cute. From the scipy __init__.py:

# Emit a warning if numpy is too old
majver, minver = [float(i) for i in _num.version.version.split('.')[:2]]

In Python 2, list comprehensions "leak" their loop variables into the enclosing scope. And thus:

>>> import numpy as _num
>>> _num.version.version
'1.6.2'
>>> _num.version.version.split('.')[:2]
['1', '6']
>>> majver, minver = [float(i) for i in _num.version.version.split('.')[:2]]
>>> i
'6'