A python class to do saner "if..match"

matcher.py

class Matcher(object):
    """
    A more convenient way to check regex matches. It holds the latest match
    result for further checks.

    The current regex match mechanism does not allow for checking matches in
    if/elif chains. Thanks to Matcher now one can do this:

        >>> m = Matcher()
        >>> s = "ba"
        >>> if m.match(r'^a(.)', s):
        >>>     print "A" + m.group(0)
        >>> elif m.match(re.compile(r'^b(.)', s):
        >>>     print "B" + m.group(0)
        Ba

    Matcher class
    Copyright (C) 2013 Jacobo de Vera
    MIT license

    Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a
    copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"),
    to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation
    the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense,
    and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the
    Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

    The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in
    all copies or substantial portions of the Software.

    THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
    IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
    FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT.  IN NO EVENT SHALL
    THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
    LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING
    FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER
    DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.

    """
    def __init__(self):
        self.clear()
    def match(self, regex, string):
        self.m = self._compile(regex).match(string)
        if self.m is None:
            return False
        return True
    def search(self, regex, string):
        self.m = self._compile(regex).search(string)
        if self.m is None:
            return False
        return True
    def group(self, n):
        if self.m is None:
            return None
        return self.m.group(n)
    def clear(self):
        self.m = None
    def _compile(self, regex):
        if isinstance(regex, (str, bytes)):
            return re.compile(regex)
        return regex