Dictionary / List Values as Variable Names - python

[FuriousLettuce]

I've only just started learning python in the last day or so, and I'm trying to create a simple function (inside a class getID()) that grabs some of the details of the user. Currently, I've got

class getID:
"Gets the details of users by standard input"

def getDetails(self):
self.items = {"DOB" : "", "nationality" : "", "race" : ""}
for e in self.items:
self.items[e] = raw_input("What is your %s? " % e)


This works in that I can do:

x = getID()
x.getDetails()
print x.items["DOB"], x.items["nationality"], x.items["race"]

However, I'm trying to modify it so I don't need the items dictionary, so I can just reference x.DOB, x.nationality etc. I tried

for e in items
self.e = raw_input(...)

This only appears to create a variable self.e, rather than self.DOB etc. I imagine that I might have to do something with __init__? I realise I could use UserDict to define x["DOB"] etc, but it would be nicer to reference as x.DOB. Does anybody know of a way to do this, and does anybody know what the preferred method would usually be?

PS Might somebody explain to me when convention dictates that my methods should begin def __xyz(self) rather than just def xyz(self)?

[slash2314]

class Person(object):
def __init__(self,DOB="",nationality="",race=""):
self.__items = {}
self.__DOB = DOB
self.__nationality = nationality
self.__race = race
self.__items['DOB'] = DOB
self.__items['nationality'] = nationality
self.__items['race'] = race
def get_dob(self):
return self.__DOB

def get_nationality(self):
return self.__nationality

def get_race(self):
return self.__race

def get_details(self):
return self.__items


if __name__ == '__main__':
jake = Person("01/01/3005","Plutonian","Akerklop")
jakeItems = jake.get_details()
print jakeItems['DOB']
print jakeItems['nationality']
print jakeItems['race']


Here is one way to do it. I don't have any set methods, but if you really want the object to return a dictionary you might want to do it this way. That way you can keep the data entering part out of the Person class. The double underscore before methods and names sort of make them private by name mangling or unable to be manipulated from outside of the class.

[FuriousLettuce]

Thanks for the reply! So the double underscore denotes a private method / private variable? Thanks again for the heads up!

[WW]

What you originally asked for can be done by using eval and compile:

getID.py

class getID:
"Gets the details of users by standard input"

def getDetails(self):
self.items = {"DOB" : "", "nationality" : "", "race" : ""}
for e in self.items:
eval(compile('self.%s = raw_input("What is your %s? ")' % (e,e),'<string>','single'))


if __name__ == '__main__':

x = getID()
x.getDetails()

print "DOB: ", x.DOB
print "nationality: ", x.nationality
print "race: ", x.race

Sample run:

$ python getID.py
What is your DOB? Still looking for one
What is your nationality? earthling
What is your race? 5K
DOB: Still looking for one
nationality: earthling
race: 5K
$

[FuriousLettuce]

Thanks a lot WW - that's exatly what I was looking for.

[WW]

You're welcome. By the way, the fact that it can be done that way doesn't mean it should be done that way. I think the simpler approach is clearer:

class getID:
"Gets the details of users by standard input"

def getDetails(self):
self.DOB = raw_input("What is you DOB? ")
self.nationality = raw_input("What is your nationality? ")
self.race = raw_input("What is your race? ")

[duff]

WW - that's a little overly complicated. Every class has a __dict__ object that let's you get at its attributes (that's why "dir" works).

class getID:
"Gets the details of users by standard input"

def getDetails(self):
self.items = {"DOB" : "", "nationality" : "", "race" : ""}
for e in self.items:
self.__dict__[e] = raw_input("What is your %s? " % e)


if __name__ == '__main__':

x = getID()
x.getDetails()

print "DOB: ", x.DOB
print "nationality: ", x.nationality
print "race: ", x.race

[WW]

Thanks, duff, that's much nicer than my hack.