Reference Variables In Python Like Those In PHP

[Chaos]

Is It possible to have reference variables like in PHP

ex.

<?php

$x = 1;
$y =& $x;

$y += 1;

echo $x;
echo "\n"
echo $y;

?>

This would show

2
2

Is this available in python?

[Terry Reedy]

"Chaos" <ps*******@gmail.comwrote in message
news:11*********************@m73g2000cwd.googlegro ups.com...

Is It possible to have reference variables like in PHP
<?php
$x = 1;
$y =& $x;
$y += 1;
echo $x;
echo "\n"
echo $y;
?>

This would show
2
2
Is this available in python?

No, in the literal meaning of your question. But..
1. The concept 'reference variable' pertains to PHP's object model, which
is different from Python's.
2. They are means, not ends. So a possibly more useful question would be
along the lines of "In PHP, I do this with a reference variable. How can I
accomplish the same goal in Python?"

Terry Jan Reedy

[Neil Cerutti]

On 2006-08-15, Chaos <ps*******@gmail.comwrote:

Is It possible to have reference variables like in PHP

ex.

<?php

$x = 1;
$y =& $x;

$y += 1;

echo $x;
echo "\n"
echo $y;

?>

This would show

2
2

Is this available in python?

If you store an item in a one-element list, you can use the list
like a reference, but it's not syntactically transparent.

>>x = [1]
y = x

Now x and y refer to the same list. Now you can change the
elements in the list through y.

>>y[0] += 1
x

[2]

>>y

[2]

--
Neil Cerutti
Sermon Outline: I. Delineate your fear II. Disown your fear III.
Displace your rear --Church Bulletin Blooper

[Luke Plant]

Chaos wrote:

Is It possible to have reference variables like in PHP

....

Is this available in python?

You should note that, to a nearest equivalent, all variables are
reference variables in Python. The difference is in what assignment
does - += in Python does an assignment of a new object for immutable
objects. For mutable objects like lists, += does an in place
modification.

x = 1
y = x # y and x now point to the same object
y += 1 # not any more, because ints are immutable,
# and += is defined not to mutate for ints

Luke

[Fredrik Lundh]

Luke Plant wrote:

You should note that, to a nearest equivalent, all variables are
reference variables in Python. The difference is in what assignment
does - += in Python does an assignment of a new object for immutable
objects. For mutable objects like lists, += does an in place
modification.

that depends on the object implementation, though -- the "+=" statement
does not, in itself, distinguish between mutable and immutable objects.

</F>

[Laurent Pointal]

Chaos a écrit :

Is It possible to have reference variables like in PHP

ex.

<?php

$x = 1;
$y =& $x;

$y += 1;

echo $x;
echo "\n"
echo $y;

?>

This would show

2
2

Is this available in python?

See other replies (ie. in Python all variables are names refering to
objects).

You may achieve same result using an object as a namespace, like this:

Python 2.4.3 (#69, Mar 29 2006, 17:35:34) [MSC v.1310 32 bit (Intel)] on
win32
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.

>>class Dummy(object) : pass

....

>>x=Dummy()
x.val = 1
y = x <-- here x and y refer to *same* Dummy object
y.val += 1
x.val

2

>>y.val

2

A+

Laurent.