Stephen Hansen wrote:
I have a feeling this might start one of those uber-massive "pass by
value / reference / name / object / AIEE" threads where everyone goes
around in massive circles explaining how Python uses one or another
parameter passing paradigm and why everyone else is wrong... but... :)
Believe me, I don't want that to happen!
The thing is, parameter values are NOT supplied to a function when it
is called.
When you call a function, there's no creation or copying of any values
of any kind. The objects you pass in are passed in and the function
receives those exact same objects. Within the function a local name is
made which binds to an existing object that is specified when it is
called-- or if a default is provided, that. In all cases these objects
already exist before the call happens.
This is the kind of explanation I was looking for in the "why are
default values shared" writeup.
Despite the fact that using mutable objects as default arguments is a
frequent source of quirked-eyebrows and head-scratching for those new
to Python, to do anything else would be weirdly magical. You'd
basically have to go and call copy() on any default arguments
specified in the function; at which point why are you copying those
and not the other arguments?
The interpreter *could* take the extra trouble to do that with default
arguments, because many users seems to expect that behavior. But I now
understand how the decision *not* to treat default arguments as special
cases produces the actual behavior. Many thanks, Stephen.
-John
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