Python Programming

Lecture 7 Variable Scope, Arbitrary Arguments

7.1 Variable Scope
 Variable Scope ( 变量的作用域)
In Python, module, class, def, lambda can introduce new variable scope, if/elif/else/, try/except, for/while
will not introduce new variable scope.

1 if True:
2 msg = 'I am from Shanghai'
3 print(msg) # We can use msg.

1 def test():
2 msg = 'I am from Shanghai'
3 print(msg) # error

Global and Local

1 msg_loc = "Shanghai" # Global

2 def test():
3 msg = 'I am from Shanghai' # Local
New Assignment

1 msg = 'I am from Shanghai'

2 def test(): I am from Beijing
3 msg = 'I am from Beijing' I am from Shanghai
4 print(msg)
5 test()
6 print(msg)

Reference

1 msg = 'I am from Shanghai'

2 def test(): I am from Shanghai
3 print(msg)
4 test()

Modification

1 msg = 'I am from Shanghai'

2 def test(): UnboundLocalError: local variable 'msg'
3 print(msg) referenced before assignment
4 msg = 'I am from Beijing'
5 test()
 How to modify the variable outside? The global keyword

1 num = 1
2 def fun(): 123
3 global num 123
4 num = 123
5 print(num)
6 fun()
7 print(num)

1 num = 1
2 def fun(): SyntaxError: name 'num' is used
3 print(num) prior to global declaration
4 global num
5 num = 123
6 print(num)
7 fun()
1 a = 10
2 def test(): UnboundLocalError: local variable 'a'
3 a = a + 1 referenced before assignment
4 print(a)
5 test()

1 a = 10
2 def test(): 11
3 global a
4 a = a + 1
5 print(a)
6 test()

1 a = 10
2 def test(): 11
3 a = 10 10
4 a = a + 1
5 print(a)
6 test()
7 print(a)
 mutable vs. immutable

1 a = [1,2,3]
2 def test(): UnboundLocalError: local variable 'a'
3 print(a) referenced before assignment
4 a = [1,2,3,4]
5 test()

1 a = [1,2,3]
2 def test(): [1, 2, 3]
3 print(a) [1, 2, 3, 4]
4 a.append(4)
5 test()
6 print(a)

1 a = {"color": "green"}
2 def test(): {'color': 'green'}
3 print(a) {'color': 'red', 'position': 'left'}
4 a["color"] = "red"
5 a["position"] = "left"
6 test()
7 print(a)
 Parameter and Argument

For immutable objects (number, string, tuple), the assignment inside a function cannot change the value
of the variable outside the function even if the variable name inside is the same with the variable name
outside.

1 def ChangeInt(a):
2 a = 10 10
3 return a 2
4
5 b = 2
6 print(ChangeInt(b))
7 print(b)

1 def ChangeInt(b):
2 b = 10 10 2
3 return b
4
5 b = 2
6 x = ChangeInt(b)
7 print(x, b)
 Examples

1 def ChangeInt(a):
2 a = 10 10
3 print(a) 2
4 return a 10
5 10
6 b = 2
7 ChangeInt(b)
8 print(b)
9 print(ChangeInt(b))

1 def ChangeInt(a):
2 a = 10 10
3 print(a) 2
4 10
5 b = 2 None
6 ChangeInt(b)
7 print(b)
8 print(ChangeInt(b))
 For mutable objects (list, dictionary), the assignment inside a function cannot change the value of the
variable outside the function. (the same with immutable objects!)

1 def changeme(mylist):
2 mylist = [1,2] inside: [1, 2]
3 print("inside: ", mylist) outside: [10, 20]
4
5 x = [10,20]
6 changeme(x)
7 print("outside: ", x)

However, the modification can change the value of the variable outside.

1 def changeme(mylist):
2 mylist.extend([1,2]) inside: [10, 20, 1, 2]
3 print ("inside: ", mylist) outside: [10, 20, 1, 2]
4
5 x = [10,20]
6 changeme(x)
7 print ("outside: ", x)
7.2 Nested Functions
 Nested Functions
1 def outer():
2 def inner():
3 print(100)
4 inner()
5 outer()

1 def outer():
2 def inner():
3 num = 100
4 print(num)
5 inner()
6 outer()

Local→Enclosing→Global→ Build-in (LEGB)

1 num = 3 # Global
2 def outer():
3 num = 10 # Enclosing
4 def inner():
5 num = 100 # Local
6 print(num)
7 inner()
8 print(num)
9 outer()
 The nonlocal keyword

1 def outer():
2 num = 10 100
3 def inner(): 100
4 nonlocal num
5 # nonlocal keyword
6 num = 100
7 print(num)
8 inner()
9 print(num)
10 outer()

1 def outer():
2 num = 10 100
3 def inner(): 10
4 global num
5 # global does not work
6 num = 100
7 print(num)
8 inner()
9 print(num)
10 outer()
 1 def outer():
2 global num 100
3 num = 10 100
4 def inner():
5 global num
6 num = 100
7 print(num)
8 inner()
9 print(num)
10 outer()

1 def outer():
2 global num 100
3 num = 10 10
4 def inner():
5 num = 100
6 print(num)
7 inner()
8 print(num)
9 outer()
 1 num = 3
2 def outer(): 100
3 global num 10
4 num = 10 10
5 def inner():
6 num = 100
7 print(num)
8 inner()
9 print(num)
10 outer()
11 print(num)

1 num = 3
2 def outer(): 100
3 num = 10 10
4 def inner(): 100
5 global num
6 num = 100
7 print(num)
8 inner()
9 print(num)
10 outer()
11 print(num)
 1 num = 3
2 def outer(): 100
3 num = 10 100
4 def inner(): 3
5 nonlocal num
6 num = 100
7 print(num)
8 inner()
9 print(num)
10 outer()
11 print(num)

1 num = 3
2 def outer(): 100
3 global num 100
4 num = 10 100
5 def inner():
6 global num
7 num = 100
8 print(num)
9 inner()
10 print(num)
11 outer()
12 print(num)
7.3 Arbitrary Arguments
1 def make_pizza(toppings):
2 print(toppings)
3
4 make_pizza('pepperoni')

If we want to pass multiple arguments, we may create a list at first.

1 x=['mushrooms', 'green peppers', 'extra cheese']

2 def make_pizza(toppings):
3 for y in toppings:
4 print(y, end=', ')
5
6 make_pizza(x)

1 def make_pizza(topping_1, topping_2, topping_3):

2 print(topping_1, topping_2, topping_3)
3
4 make_pizza('mushrooms', 'green peppers', 'extra cheese')

However, sometimes we are not sure about the exact number of the arguments.
 We can pass multiple arguments at once in the following way.

1 def make_pizza(*toppings):
2 print(toppings)
3
4 make_pizza('pepperoni')
5 make_pizza('mushrooms', 'green peppers', 'extra cheese')

Note that Python packs the arguments into a tuple, even if the function receives only one value.

1 def make_pizza(*toppings):
2 for topping in toppings:
3 print("- " + topping)
4
5 make_pizza('pepperoni')
6 make_pizza('mushrooms', 'green peppers', 'extra cheese')

- pepperoni
- mushrooms
- green peppers
- extra cheese
 Mixing Positional and Arbitrary Arguments

If you want a function to accept several different kinds of arguments, the parameter that accepts an
arbitrary number of arguments must be placed last in the function definition.

1 def make_pizza(size, *toppings):

2 print(str(size) + "-inch pizza:")
3 for topping in toppings:
4 print("- " + topping)
5
6 make_pizza(16, 'pepperoni')
7 make_pizza(12, 'mushrooms', 'green peppers', 'extra cheese')

16-inch pizza:
- pepperoni
12-inch pizza:
- mushrooms
- green peppers
- extra cheese
 Using Arbitrary Keyword Arguments

1 def build_profile(**user_info):
2 print(user_info)
3
4 build_profile(location='Shanghai',field='Management')

{'location': 'Shanghai', 'field': 'Management'}

Using Arbitrary Keyword Arguments

1 def build_profile(first, last, **user_info):

2 profile = {}
3 for key, value in user_info.items():
4 profile[key] = value
5 return first, last, profile
6
7 user_profile = build_profile('albert', 'einstein',
8 location='princeton',
9 field='physics')
10 print(user_profile)

('albert', 'einstein',
{'location': 'princeton', 'field': 'physics'})
1 def build_profile(*name, **user_info):
2 print(name)
3 print(user_info)
4
5 build_profile('albert', 'einstein',
6 location='princeton',
7 field='physics')

('albert', 'einstein')
{'location': 'princeton', 'field': 'physics'}

As a tradition, we often use *args and **kw

 Example Result

1 def test(x,y=1,*a,**b):
2 print(x,y,a,b)
3
4 test(1) 1 1 () {}
5 test(1,2) 1 2 () {}
6 test(1,2,3) 1 2 (3,) {}
7 test(1,2,3,4) 1 2 (3, 4) {}
8 test(x=1,y=2) 1 2 () {}
9 test(1,a=2) 1 1 () {'a': 2}
10 test(1,2,3,a=4) 1 2 (3,) {'a': 4}
11 test(1,2,3,y=4) TypeError: test() got multiple values
Summary
Functions
Reading: Python for Everybody, Chapter 4
Reading: Python Crash Course, Chapter 8