Bring object 'out of' Class?

[dave]

Hello,

I'm currently on the class section of my self-taught journey and have a
question about classes: is it possible to bring a object created
inside the class definitions outside the class so it can be accessed in
the interpreter?

For example, right now I'm working (within Allen Downey's Python
Programmer book) with creating a 'hand' of cards. I want to be able to
deal to 'x' amount of cards to 'x' amount of hands and then be able to
manipulate those hands afterwards. I'm not sure if even what I'm
asking is possible or if I'm getting ahead of myself.

As always, thanks for all your help. My learning is greatly enhanced
with everyone's input on this board. Please feel free to
comment/critique the code...

Here is the section of code that deals hands (but doesn't do anything
past that):

def deal_cards(self, num_of_hands, num):
'''deals x amount of cards(num) to each hand'''
for i in range(num_of_hands):
handname = Hand('hand%d' % i)
self.deal(handname, num)
print '::::%s::::' % (handname.label), '\n', handname, '\n'

and here is the all of the code:

#!/usr/bin/env python

import random

class Card:
"""represents a playing card
attributes: rank, suit"""

def __init__(self, suit=0, rank=3):
self.suit = suit
self.rank = rank

suit_names = ["Clubs", "Diamonds", "Hearts", "Spades"]
rank_names = [None, "Ace", "Two", "Three", "Four", "Five", "Six", "Seven",
"Eight", "Nine", "Ten", "Jack", "Queen", "King"]

def __str__(self):
#prints card in format: Rank 'of' Suit#
return '%s of %s' % (Card.rank_names[self.rank],
Card.suit_names[self.suit])

def __cmp__(self, other):
#evaluates which card is ranked higher by suit/rank
#arbitrary definition. depends on the card game
card1 = self.suit, self.rank
card2 = other.suit, other.rank
return cmp(card1, card2)
class Deck:
"""represents a deck of cards. 52 card, 4 suits, 13 cards/suit"""

def __init__(self):
self.cards = []
for suit in range(4):
for rank in range(1, 14):
card = Card(suit, rank)
self.cards.append(card)

def __str__(self):
res = []
for card in self.cards:
res.append(str(card))
return '\n'.join(res)

def pop_card(self):
'''removes a card and returns it to another object'''
return self.cards.pop()

def add_cards(self, card):
#adds a card to an object
return self.cards.append(card)

def shuffle(self):
'''must import random, shuffles the deck'''
random.shuffle(self.cards)

def sort_deck(self):
self.cards.sort()

def deal(self, hand, num):
'''moves cards from one object to another'''
for i in range(num):
hand.add_cards(self.pop_card())

def deal_cards(self, num_of_hands, num):
'''deals x amount of cards(num) to each hand'''
for i in range(num_of_hands):
handname = Hand('hand%d' % i)
self.deal(handname, num)
print '::::%s::::' % (handname.label), '\n', handname, '\n'


class Hand(Deck):
"""child class of Deck. Represents a hand of cards"""

def __init__(self, label=" "):
self.cards = []
self.label = label

[Arnaud Delobelle]

dave <sq*************@1ya2hoo3.netwrites:

Hello,

I'm currently on the class section of my self-taught journey and have
a question about classes: is it possible to bring a object created
inside the class definitions outside the class so it can be accessed
in the interpreter?

For example, right now I'm working (within Allen Downey's Python
Programmer book) with creating a 'hand' of cards. I want to be able
to deal to 'x' amount of cards to 'x' amount of hands and then be able
to manipulate those hands afterwards. I'm not sure if even what I'm
asking is possible or if I'm getting ahead of myself.

As always, thanks for all your help. My learning is greatly enhanced
with everyone's input on this board. Please feel free to
comment/critique the code...

Here is the section of code that deals hands (but doesn't do anything
past that):

def deal_cards(self, num_of_hands, num):
'''deals x amount of cards(num) to each hand'''
for i in range(num_of_hands):
handname = Hand('hand%d' % i)
self.deal(handname, num)
print '::::%s::::' % (handname.label), '\n', handname, '\n'

You need to use a 'return' statement:

def deal_cards(self, num_of_hands, num):
'''deals x amount of cards(num) to each hand'''
hands = []
for i in range(num_of_hands):
newhand = Hand('hand%d' % i)
self.deal(newhand, num)
hands.append(newhand)
print '::::%s::::' % (handname.label), '\n', handname, '\n'
return Hand
Then you can write:

>>hands = deck.deal_cards(4, 5) # On fait une belotte?

And I don't see the need of defining 'Hand' inside 'Deck'.

HTH

--
Arnaud

[member thudfoo]

On 6/1/08, Arnaud Delobelle <ar*****@googlemail.comwrote:

dave <sq*************@1ya2hoo3.netwrites:

[..]

>
def deal_cards(self, num_of_hands, num):
'''deals x amount of cards(num) to each hand'''
for i in range(num_of_hands):
handname = Hand('hand%d' % i)
self.deal(handname, num)
print '::::%s::::' % (handname.label), '\n', handname, '\n'
>

You need to use a 'return' statement:
def deal_cards(self, num_of_hands, num):
'''deals x amount of cards(num) to each hand'''

hands = []

for i in range(num_of_hands):

newhand = Hand('hand%d' % i)
self.deal(newhand, num)
hands.append(newhand)

print '::::%s::::' % (handname.label), '\n', handname, '\n'

return Hand

Should be: return hands

>

Then you can write:

>>hands = deck.deal_cards(4, 5) # On fait une belotte?

[...]

[dave]

Then you can write:

>

>>>hands = deck.deal_cards(4, 5) # On fait une belotte?

And I don't see the need of defining 'Hand' inside 'Deck'.

HTH

Thanks for the input.

I believe using 'class Hand(Deck):' is to illustrate (in the book)
inheritance and how it can be used. By using 'Hand(Deck)' I can then
use the methods (pop_card, add_cards, etc..) defined in the 'Deck'
class.