Python Inherit Module Class

Question

I have a class with a bunch of generic variables in the init method not specific to the class. I want to make another class that holds these variables and then have the first class inheritance those variables.

So the second class is not a parent class, but more like a module class.

How I write this in python?

Thanks.

Class A():
   def __init__(self):
       self.generic_variable1 = 'blah'
       self.generic_variable2 = 'blah'
       self.generic_variable3 = 'blah'
       self.generic_variable4 = 'blah'
       self.generic_variable5 = 'blah'
       self.generic_variable6 = 'blah'
   
   def generic_method1(self):
       return 'blah'
   
   def class_specific_method1(self):
       pass

After creating two classes:

Class A():
   def __init__(self):
       pass
   
   def class_specific_method1(self):
       pass

Class B():
   def __init__(self):
       self.generic_variable1 = 'blah'
       self.generic_variable2 = 'blah'
       self.generic_variable3 = 'blah'
       self.generic_variable4 = 'blah'
       self.generic_variable5 = 'blah'
       self.generic_variable6 = 'blah'
   
   def generic_method1(self):
       return 'blah'

It kind of sounds like you are describing a mixin, but without any code it's hard to know for sure. — Mark
– Mark, Commented Jul 5, 2020 at 3:57

wwii · Accepted Answer · 2020-07-05 04:26:05Z

1

A module level dictionary that the class can access.

d = {'k':'v','q':'r','m':'n',...}

class F:
    variables = d
    def __init__(self,...)

Or maybe a collections.namedtuple instead of a dictionary to give you dot access - instance.variables.attr instead of instance.variables[attr]` .

If you want individual attributes:

d = {'k':'v','q':'r','m':'n'}

class F:
    def __init__(self):
        for attr,val in d.items():
            setattr(self,attr,val)

Or set the attributes outside of the class

d = {'k':'v','q':'r','m':'n'}

class F:
    def __init__(self):
        pass

for k,v in d.items():
    setattr(F,k,v)

edited Jul 5, 2020 at 4:26

answered Jul 5, 2020 at 4:08

wwii

23.9k7 gold badges42 silver badges80 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

3 Comments

Bo Peng Over a year ago

That doesnt sound clean though. Then I have to unpack those variables.

Bo Peng Over a year ago

Does what Geroge said works on just inheriting the class? Dont we only inherit if its parent child though right?

wwii Over a year ago

@BoPeng - see edit. Using inheritance will accomplish what you want. Whether there has to be a parent/child relationship to use inheritance sounds like a philosophical question there is certainly no technical requirement.

Limina102 · Accepted Answer · 2020-07-05 03:59:28Z

1

Just simply

class A:
    ... ...
    
class B(A):
    ... ...

In class B, if you do not rewrite __init__, it will automatically use class A's.

If you need do extra thing in class B's __init__:

class B(A):
    def __init__(self, *args, **kw):
        super().__init__(*args, **kw)
        ... ...

answered Jul 5, 2020 at 3:59

Limina102

1,0977 silver badges25 bronze badges

2 Comments

Bo Peng Over a year ago

Hi George, thanks for that. I thought we only inherit if its a parent child relationship. This is more like inheriting a bunch of generic variables that are not specific to the class that I want to create a new class to inherit to make the first class look cleaner. Thanks

Limina102 Over a year ago

@BoPeng 老哥，你也是国人吧，说实话我没搞懂你啥意思，要不你用中文说下 Seems that you know Chinese, would you explain in Chinese again? I don't really understand what you meant.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Python Inherit Module Class

2 Answers 2

3 Comments

2 Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

3 Comments

2 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related