I am experimenting with python object orientated programming. Of course I learned about inheritence and so on, but this question is very specific and I couldn't find the answer anywhere yet.
Let's say we have a class class mainClass:. In this class there is a function def func(self):. And within this function func() I want to use two custom classes. Can I and how can I use the first custom class within the second one? (Here's a example)
class custom1:
def func1(self):
#do something
class custom2:
def func2(self):
#call function func1 from class custom1 without creating another instance
class mainClass:
def func(self):
obj1 = custom1()
obj2 = custom2()
obj2.func2()
Like I said I don't want to create a second instance of custom1 within custom2. Only the one in mainClass.
Thanks for your answers :)
what about passing it via the constructor of the first class?
class custom1:
def func1(self):
#do something
class custom2:
def __init__(self, obj1):
self._obj1 = obj1
def func2(self):
self._obj1.func1()
class mainClass:
def func(self):
obj1 = custom1()
obj2 = custom2(obj1)
obj2.func2()
Related
I want a program to call a specific class based on a parameter/variable value. However, I don't want to use any clunky if-statements. My first thought was to use the globals() function, but I couldn't get it to work. Here's an example:
class SomeClass:
def __init__():
print("Hello, world!")
class OtherClass:
def runClass(className):
# Call class based on variable className
The reason I want to do this is because there is a wide variety of classes may need to be called, and so just piling up if-statements in my code won't do it. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Here's how you can call a class via globals
class SomeClass:
def __init__(self):
print("Hello, world!")
def __call__(self):
return "SomeClass called"
class OtherClass:
def runClass(self, className):
globals()[className]()()
o = OtherClass()
result = o.runClass("SomeClass")
print(result)
Notice, I am instantiating and then calling it via the __call__ special method, which is the closest match to your description I could think of.
Use a dict.
name_to_class = dict(some=SomeClass,
other=OtherClass)
def factory(name):
klass = name_to_class(name)
return klass()
some_obj = factory("some")
other_obj = factory("other")
One way to solve this problem is to use a dictionary to map the values of the variable className to the corresponding class.
Try this exemple :
class SomeClass:
def init(self):
print("Hello, world!")
class OtherClass:
def init(self):
print("Goodbye, world!")
classNameToClass = {
"SomeClass": SomeClass,
"OtherClass": OtherClass
}
def runClass(className):
# Call class based on variable className
cls = classNameToClass[className]
return cls()
runClass("SomeClass") # prints "Hello, world!"
runClass("OtherClass") # prints "Goodbye, world!"
Here, the dictionary classNameToClass maps the string names of the classes (e.g. "SomeClass") to the corresponding class objects (e.g. SomeClass). Then, in the runClass function, we look up the class object using the value of the className variable, and call it to create an instance of the class.
I've found an answer. The parameter that governs the called class can just be assigned elsewhere. At first, I thought it would need some complex function, but in reality, I guess the question didn't give enough details. The class itself only uses items from whatever object is given. So, instead of having to dynamically call a class, it's as simple as:
class SomeClass:
def printHelloWorld():
print("Hello, world!")
class OtherClass:
def __init__(self, usingClass):
self.object = usingClass
def doThis():
usingClass.printHelloWorld()
x = OtherClass(SomeClass())
x.doThis()
It's on me for not giving enough information. Thank you all for your help.
I am writing a class in python.
class my_class(object):
def __init__(self):
# build my objects
def foo(self,*args,**kwargs):
# do something with them
Then I would like to extend this class:
class my_extended_class(my_class):
But I can not figure out what is the correct way of accessing parent methods.
Shall I:
1) create an instance of a father object? at constructor time
def __init__(self):
self.my_father=my_class()
# other child-specific statements
return self
def foo(self,*args,**kwargs):
self.my_father.foo(*args,**kwargs)
# other child-specific statements
return self
2) call father methods 'directly'?
def foo(self,*args,**kwargs):
my_class.foo(*args,**kwargs)
# other child-specific statements
return self
3) other possible ways?
Use super(ClassName, self)
class my_class(object):
def __init__(self):
# build my objects
def foo(self,*args,**kwargs):
# do something with them
class my_extended_class(my_class):
def foo(self,*args,**kwargs):
super(my_extended_class, self).foo(*args,**kwargs)
# other child-specific statements
return self
Compatibility is discussed in How can I call super() so it's compatible in 2 and 3? but in a nutshell, Python 3 supports calling super with or without args while Python 2 requires them.
You can use the super() method. For example:
class my_extended_class(my_class):
def foo(self,*args,**kwargs):
#Do your magic here
return super(my_extended_class, self).foo(self,*args,**kwargs)
You might go to this link and find other answers as well.
Call a parent class's method from child class in Python?
I'm looking for an equivalent to the static { ... } block in Java that can be used in Python classes. Specifically, I want to be able to access static resources like the arguments of the class constructor and store them in a field of the class, like so:
class A:
constructor_args = A.__init__.__code__.co_varnames
def __init__(self, foo=0, bar=1):
...
This example doesn't work, because class A is not yet initialized when I call A.__init__.__code__.co_varnames.
My current workaround is to alter the static field after the class has been created like so:
class A:
constructor_args = ...
def __init__(self, foo=0, bar=1):
...
constructor_args = A.__init__.__code__.co_varnames
But this solution is rather ugly because I change a static field of a class outside of the class context and if the class contains a lot of code, it's easy to miss out on what is going on here.
So basically I need a way to call a function right after the class has been initialized, and I want to define this function inside of the class.
You will have to at least define the __init__ method first, but you can access its properties immediately after:
class Foo:
def __init__(self, bar, baz):
pass
constructor_args = __init__.__code__.co_varnames
Inside the class block code executes inside its own namespace, so __init__ is directly accessible as __init__.
Here is a simple approach that postpones execution of code that needs the finished class by moving it inside a function defined inside the class body. To have the function called and deleted after use we define a simple decorator:
import inspect
def finalizing(cls):
cls.__finalize__(cls)
del cls.__finalize__
return cls
#finalizing
class example:
def __finalize__(me):
me.constructor_args = list(inspect.signature(me.__init__).parameters)
def __init__(self, x):
pass
example.constructor_args
# ['self', 'x']
You could use a class decorator:
def store_constructor_args(cls):
cls.constructor_args = cls.__init__.__code__.co_varnames
return cls
#store_constructor_args
class A:
def __init__(self, foo=0, bar=1):
x = 10
print(A.constructor_args)
# ('self', 'foo', 'bar', 'x')
#store_constructor_args
class A:
is equivalent to
class A:
...
A = store_constructor_args(A)
If I have this situation:
class Foo(object):
def __init__(self):
self.bar = Bar()
def do_something(self):
print 'doing something'
class Bar(object):
def __init(self):
self.a = 'a'
def some_function(self):
I want to call do_something function inside some_function function but this function doesn't belong to the class, what can I do to call this function?
I don't want to use it with Foo().do_something, there are another option?
I don't want to create new instance
another example:
class A(object):
def __init__(self):
self.content = 'abcdabcabcabc'
self.b = self.B()
self.c = self.C()
def some_function(self):
print self.content
class B(object):
def foo(self):
A.some_function()
class C(object):
def foo(self):
A.some_function()
There is no practical use case for nested classes in Python, but for scoping some class attributes with namespaces. And in that case, you should not create instances of them at all.
All you get if you have instances of nested classes is a headache - there is no benneffit. The "Outter" class won't see them as anything special - that is unlike in C++, from where it looks like this pattern originated, that the nested class is, in its whole, private to the container class.
The concept of being private in Python is done purely by convention, and if no other code than Foo should use instances of Bar, indicate that by calling it _Bar and in the documentation.
Other than that being nested won't help Bar to get a reference to Foo by any other means than through its name (ok, there are ways using the descriptor protocol, but it is not meant for this) - and them, if you want to run Foo.do_something without having a Foo instance, do_something should be a classmethod anyway.
Now, if you want to have aggregated objects, that is another thing. You have to do is:
class Bar(object):
def __init(self, parent):
self.parent = parent
self.a = 'a'
def some_function(self):
self.parent.do_something(...)
class Foo(object):
def __init__(self):
self.bar = Bar(self)
def do_something(self):
print 'doing something'
Python 3 doesn't allow you to reference a class inside its body (except in methods):
class A:
static_attribute = A()
def __init__(self):
...
This raises a NameError in the second line because 'A' is not defined.
Alternatives
I have quickly found one workaround:
class A:
#property
#classmethod
def static_property(cls):
return A()
def __init__(self):
...
Although this isn't exactly the same since it returns a different instance every time (you could prevent this by saving the instance to a static variable the first time).
Are there simpler and/or more elegant alternatives?
EDIT:
I have moved the question about the reasons for this restriction to a separate question
The expression A() can't be run until the class A has been defined. In your first block of code, the definition of A is not complete at the point you are trying to execute A().
Here is a simpler alternative:
class A:
def __init__(self):
...
A.static_attribute = A()
When you define a class, Python immediately executes the code within the definition. Note that's different than defining a function where Python compiles the code, but doesn't execute it.
That's why this will create an error:
class MyClass(object):
a = 1 / 0
But this won't:
def my_func():
a = 1 / 0
In the body of A's class definition, A is not yet defined, so you can't reference it until after it's been defined.
There are several ways you can accomplish what you're asking, but it's not clear to me why this would be useful in the first place, so if you can provide more details about your use case, it'll be easier to recommend which path to go down.
The simplest would be what khelwood posted:
class A(object):
pass
A.static_attribute = A()
Because this is modifying class creation, using a metaclass could be appropriate:
class MetaA(type):
def __new__(mcs, name, bases, attrs):
cls = super(MetaA, mcs).__new__(mcs, name, bases, attrs)
cls.static_attribute = cls()
return cls
class A(object):
__metaclass__ = MetaA
Or you could use descriptors to have the instance lazily created or if you wanted to customize access to it further:
class MyDescriptor(object):
def __get__(self, instance, owner):
owner.static_attribute = owner()
return owner.static_attribute
class A(object):
static_attribute = MyDescriptor()
Using the property decorator is a viable approach, but it would need to be done something like this:
class A:
_static_attribute = None
#property
def static_attribute(self):
if A._static_attribute is None:
A._static_attribute = A()
return A._static_attribute
def __init__(self):
pass
a = A()
print(a.static_attribute) # -> <__main__.A object at 0x004859D0>
b = A()
print(b.static_attribute) # -> <__main__.A object at 0x004859D0>
You can use a class decorator:
def set_static_attribute(cls):
cls.static_attribute = cls()
return cls
#set_static_attribute
class A:
pass
Now:
>>>> A.static_attribute
<__main__.A at 0x10713a0f0>
Applying the decorator on top of the class makes it more explicit than setting static_attribute after a potentially long class definition. The applied decorator "belongs" to the class definition. So if you move the class around in your source code you will more likely move it along than an extra setting of the attribute outside the class.