from itertools import filterfalse def unique_everseen(iterable, key=None): "List unique elements, preserving order. Remember all elements ever seen." # unique_everseen('AAAABBBCCDAABBB') --> A B C D # unique_everseen('ABBCcAD', str.lower) --> A B C D seen = set() seen_add = seen.add if key is None: for element in filterfalse(seen.__contains__, iterable): seen_add(element) yield element else: for element in iterable: k = key(element) if k not in seen: seen_add(k) yield element # copied from more_itertools 8.8 def always_iterable(obj, base_type=(str, bytes)): """If *obj* is iterable, return an iterator over its items:: >>> obj = (1, 2, 3) >>> list(always_iterable(obj)) [1, 2, 3] If *obj* is not iterable, return a one-item iterable containing *obj*:: >>> obj = 1 >>> list(always_iterable(obj)) [1] If *obj* is ``None``, return an empty iterable: >>> obj = None >>> list(always_iterable(None)) [] By default, binary and text strings are not considered iterable:: >>> obj = 'foo' >>> list(always_iterable(obj)) ['foo'] If *base_type* is set, objects for which ``isinstance(obj, base_type)`` returns ``True`` won't be considered iterable. >>> obj = {'a': 1} >>> list(always_iterable(obj)) # Iterate over the dict's keys ['a'] >>> list(always_iterable(obj, base_type=dict)) # Treat dicts as a unit [{'a': 1}] Set *base_type* to ``None`` to avoid any special handling and treat objects Python considers iterable as iterable: >>> obj = 'foo' >>> list(always_iterable(obj, base_type=None)) ['f', 'o', 'o'] """ if obj is None: return iter(()) if (base_type is not None) and isinstance(obj, base_type): return iter((obj,)) try: return iter(obj) except TypeError: return iter((obj,))