Sheldon wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I have a series of classes that are all within the same file. Each is
> called at different times by the main script. Now I have discovered
> that I need several variables returned to the main script. Simple,
> right? I thought so and simply returned the variables in a tuple:
> (a,b,c,d,e) = obj.method()
> Now I keep getting this error: "ValueError: unpack tuple of wrong size"
>

You're likely getting that error because the method() call is returning
more or less than 5 values..  Try something like this to check:

results = obj.method()
print results
a, b, c, d, e = results

That way you'll be able to see exactly what the method is returning.

>
>  I think this is because I am trying to return some Numeric arrays as
> well as list and I didn't declare these prior to calling the class
> method. The problem is that some of these arrays are set within the
> class and cannot be set in the calling script. I removed these arrays
> and tried it again and still I get this error. So I have another idea:
>
> I have one class that sets a bunch of varibles like this:
> myclass:
>   def __init__(self,var1,var2,var3):
>          self.var1 = var1
>          self.var2 = var2
>          .
>          .
>          .
>          etc.
> Then I use the following script to make these variable global:
>
> global main
> main = myclass(var1,var2,var3)

In this case, where the main var is being set at the "module level",
you needn't use the global statement.  If I understand it correctly,
global is for use inside functions and methods to indicate that a
variable is being reused from the outer "global" scope, rather than
being temporarily "shadowed" by a var of the same name local to the
function or method.

> I am thinking that I should be able to "insert" other variable into
> this main from within other classes like this:
>
> otherclass:
>  def __init__(self,a,b,c,d):
>        self.a = a..... etc.
>  def somemethod(self):
>        self.newvar = ........
>        main.newvar = self.newvar
>        return self.a
> ****************************************
> This looks wierd but I am wondering if it will work? This would be a
> wonderful way to store variables that will be needed later instead of
> passing them back and forth.

You *can* use an object as a convenient, if unusual, storage place for
variables because you can assign to attributes after object
instantiation

>>> class foo: pass
...
>>> bar = foo()
>>> bar.a = 23
>>> bar.b = 'Hi there'
>>> dir(bar)
['__doc__', '__module__', 'a', 'b']
>>> bar.__dict__
{'a': 23, 'b': 'Hi there'}

There's nothing really wrong with this, it's like using a dict except
that you can access variables using the attribute notation  obj.var

But keep in mind, if you're already passing around your 'main' object,
then you already know how to use and pass around any other object.


> After trying this it did work! My question is why? Another way to solve
> this problem is to make the variable I need global in the class that
> they are created. Does anyone have a better way in mind?

I'm not sure, but I think there's no such thing as "global to a class",
 although you can make class attributes just like for objects.  There
are some complexities to doing this though so you should probably stick
to instance objects rather than mucking about with class attributes..

HTH,
~Simon

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