What is the meaning of the astarisk in Python

[John Dean]

Hi
Below is a line taken from Andy Dustman's MySQLdb module:
def Connect(*args, **kwargs):

I would be grateful if somebody explain the meaning of the astarisks, since
I was under the impression that pointers are not used in Python and the
above look very must like pointers to me

--
Best Regards
John

[John Roth]

"John Dean" <jo**@rygannon.com> wrote in message
news:3f***********************@lovejoy.zen.co.uk.. .

Hi
Below is a line taken from Andy Dustman's MySQLdb module:
def Connect(*args, **kwargs):

I would be grateful if somebody explain the meaning of the astarisks, since I was under the impression that pointers are not used in Python and the
above look very must like pointers to me
One asterisk creates a list of all positional arguements,
two asterisks creates a dictionary of all keyword arguements.
"All" means "not otherwise represented in the parameter list."

John Roth
--
Best Regards
John

[Andrei]

They're both shortcuts for specifying parameters. args is a tuple of
positional arguments, kwargs is a dictionary of keyword arguments.
Like this:

def myfunc(*args):
... print args

...
myfunc(3,4,"c")
(3, 4, 'c')
def myfunc(**kwargs):
... print kwargs

...
myfunc(a=3, b=4)
{'a': 3, 'b': 4}
def myfunc(*args, **kwargs):
... print args, kwargs

...
myfunc(2, 3, c=5, d=6)
(2, 3) {'c': 5, 'd': 6}
myfunc(2, 3)
(2, 3) {}
myfunc(c=5, d=6)

() {'c': 5, 'd': 6}
--
Contact info (decode with rot13): ce******@bcrenznvy.pbz
Fcnzserr! Cyrnfr qb abg hfr va choyvp zrffntrf. V ernq gur yvfg, ab arrq gb PP.
Posted via http://dbforums.com

[Bob Gailer]

At 06:13 PM 9/20/2003, John Roth wrote:

"John Dean" <jo**@rygannon.com> wrote in message
news:3f***********************@lovejoy.zen.co.uk. ..

Hi
Below is a line taken from Andy Dustman's MySQLdb module:
def Connect(*args, **kwargs):

I would be grateful if somebody explain the meaning of the astarisks,since

I was under the impression that pointers are not used in Python and the
above look very must like pointers to me

One asterisk creates a list of all positional arguements,

Do you mean tuple?
two asterisks creates a dictionary of all keyword arguements.
"All" means "not otherwise represented in the parameter list."

Bob Gailer
bg*****@alum.rpi.edu
303 442 2625
---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.506 / Virus Database: 303 - Release Date: 8/1/2003

[Michael Peuser]

"John Dean" <jo**@rygannon.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:3f***********************@lovejoy.zen.co.uk.. .

Hi
Below is a line taken from Andy Dustman's MySQLdb module:
def Connect(*args, **kwargs):

I would be grateful if somebody explain the meaning of the astarisks, since I was under the impression that pointers are not used in Python and the
above look very must like pointers to me

In addition to the other answers:
It also works the other way: You can use tuples ore dicts for positional or
keyword parameters. This generally comes handy for co-ordinates in graphic
routines.

def p(a,b,c,d, x=None,y=None):
print a,b,c,d,x,y

abcd=(1,2,3,4)
xy={'x':100, 'y':200}

p(*abcd)
p(0,0,0,0,**xy)
Kindly
MichaelP

[Lee Harr]

In article <3f***********************@lovejoy.zen.co.uk>, John Dean wrote:

Hi
Below is a line taken from Andy Dustman's MySQLdb module:
def Connect(*args, **kwargs):

I would be grateful if somebody explain the meaning of the astarisks, since
I was under the impression that pointers are not used in Python and the
above look very must like pointers to me

http://python.org/doc/current/tut/no...00000000000000
http://python.org/doc/current/tut/no...00000000000000
http://python.org/doc/current/tut/no...00000000000000