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Python Object-Oriented Python Dice Roller Project Breakdown

Posted by hamsternation
hamsternation
26,616 Points

Or statement execution

Part of the code for Kenneth's __init__ method uses the or statement in the following way:

def __init__(self, sides = 2, value = 0):
        if not sides >=2:
            raise ValueError('Must have at least 2 sides')
        if not isinstance(sides, int):
            raise ValueError('Sides must be a whole number')
        self.value = value or random.randint(1, sides)

I always thought the or statement returns true if both sides of the statement is true.

How does the or statement work here?

Let's say someone enters value of 2 so in that case, wouldn't both 2 and random.randint(1,sides) be truthy, and the statement would just return true? I'm not getting how this is equivalent to "return value if value != 0, or else, return random.randint(1, sides)," which is what I'm assuming the statement means.

1 Answer

Chris Freeman
MOD
Chris Freeman
Treehouse Moderator 68,423 Points
Chris Freeman
Chris Freeman
Treehouse Moderator 68,423 Points

In Python, the or is not a purely logical evaluation (see docs).

The expression x or y first evaluates x; if x is true, its value is returned; otherwise, y is evaluated and the resulting value is returned.

If used as condition in an if statement, then the truthiness of "2" would interpreted a "True".

Post back if you have more questions!

hamsternation
hamsternation
26,616 Points

Mindblown. :O :) Thanks again, Chris!