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Python Object-Oriented Python Inheritance Super-Duper!

Posted by Arp Arp
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Arp Arp
Python Web Development Techdegree Student 261 Points

the difference between the definition of a variable as an attribute of class or argument in the method

In the below code, once sneaky = True is defined as a class attribute and again it is defined in __init__ method arg. Isn't the outside init definition redundant? If not what is the merit of that?

import random

class Character:
    def __init__(self, name, **kwargs):
        self.name = name

        for key, value in kwargs.items():
            setattr(self, key, value)


class Thief(Character):
    sneaky = True

    def __init__(self, name, sneaky=True, **kwargs):
        super().__init__(name, **kwargs)
        self.sneaky = sneaky

    def pickpocket(self):
        return self.sneaky and bool(random.randint(0, 1))

    def hide(self, light_level):
        return self.sneaky and light_level < 10

2 Answers

Josh Keenan
Josh Keenan
19,652 Points
Josh Keenan
Josh Keenan
19,652 Points

As far as I am aware, yes it is redundant. Personally to compare differences I would recommend that you play with the code and see what happens when you change things, create a duplicate to do this, then you will learn and understand more about it!

Hanna Han
Hanna Han
4,105 Points
Hanna Han
Hanna Han
4,105 Points

Hi,

I have tried run the code with and without the attribute of the class "sneaky = True" in the class. If I have tested right way, I have got same results from those two. I could change the value of the attribute sneaky = True" to sneaky = False" by creating the instance of the class.

class Thief:
  sneaky = True
  def __init__(self, sneaky = True):
      self.sneaky = sneaky

class Thief:
  def __init__(self, sneaky = True):
      self.sneaky = sneaky