Wesley Brooks wrote:
> Dear Users,
>
> How can I add information to an object to explain what it expects as
> it's attributes? For instance I may have an object that creates a CAD
> file based on a set of default values which are set by the __init__
> but can be altered before it runs. for example;
>
> class MakeBasicShape:
> def __init__(self):
> self.boundsOptions = ['cuboid', 'cylinder', 'cad']
> self.boundsInfo = ['cuboid', [0.,10.,0.,10.,0.,10.]']
>
> def MakeIt(self):
> assert self.boundsInfo[0] in self.boundsOptions,
> "Option not recognised: %s", self.boundsInfo[0]
> if self.boundsInfo[0] == 'cuboid'
> bounds = self.boundsInfo[1]
> .... # code to make box
> elif self.boundsInfo[0] == 'cylinder'
> [height, radius, noSides] = self.boundsInfo[1]
> .... # code to make cylinder
> elif self.boundsInfo[0] == 'cad'
> fileName = self.boundsInfo[1]
> .... # code to load CAD file
> return shape
I would write this as a factory function and use a dict as a lookup
table to get the correct class to return:
assuming:
class Cuboid(object):
# etc...
_makers = dict(cuboid=Cuboid, cylinder=Cylinder, cad=Cad)
def makeBasicShape(shape='cuboid', bounds=[0.,10.,0.,10.,0.,10.]):
try:
maker = _makers[shape]
except KeyError:
# Code to handle invalid shape option
else:
return maker(*bounds)
Kent
>
>
> if __name__ == '__main__':
> shapeFactory0 = MakeBasicShape()
> shape0 = shapeFactory.MakeIt() # a box
>
> shapeFactory1 = MakeBasicShape()
> shapeFactory1.boundsInfo = ['cylinder' ,[20.,10.,36]]
> shape1 = shapeFactory.MakeIt() # a cylinder
>
> shapeFactory2 = MakeBasicShape()
> shapeFactory2.boundsInfo = ['cad' ,'/home/Wes/BigHand.stl']
> shape2 = shapeFactory.MakeIt() # a CAD file
>
> While this example could be coded with different functions for making
> a box, cylinder, and loading the CAD file I wanted to use attributes
> to control the object to simplify interaction with it from the user
> interface code. I would like to move away from getters and setters as
> they're taking up vast chunks of my code at the moment and do very
> little!
Simple getters and setters are not needed in Python. The flexibility
they give in Java and C++ is provided by Python properties.
> Can I also stop new attributes being added to the MakeBasicShape class?
Yes, but it is rarely worth the trouble; Python culture tends to a
philosophy of "we're all adults here" and doesn't try too hard to
prevent programmers from shooting themselves in the foot.
The preferred way to do this IIRC is to define __setattr__ on your class
and check for valid attribute names.
Kent
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