Programming Forums > Script Programming > Python

G.I.Josh · Aug 5th, 2004, 6:48 PM

I'm having a difficult time grasping the concept of returning values in functions. Here is what I think I know. If you have a function like

(Toggle Plain Text)

def welcome_message(name):
  print name
welcome_message(G.I.Josh)

It will store the value G.I.Josh in a variable called name. Now, if I added return G.I.Josh, what exactly would happen? Also, if I needed to get more then one variable from outside of the function into the function, how could I do that? And lastly. How can I keep variables I manipulate inside the function from going back to their orriginal value once the function is over? Thanks.

thechristelegacy · Aug 6th, 2004, 12:09 PM

Alright, when you code

(Toggle Plain Text)

def welcome_message(name):
 print name
welcome_message(G.I.Josh)

all it does is print the value, but it doesn't assign it to a variable. For example I'll show you two comparisons of using it and not using it..

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>>> def testOne(a):
...     print a

and

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>>> def testTwo(a):
...     return a;

Here is what you would get when you run each one.

>>> a = testOne('Hello, World.')
Hello, World.

But that value isn't assigned to a you'll see if you try to print a this happens.

>>> print t
None

You'll see that no value is stored for it. But when you run the second one with the return statement. It does send a value back to the variable as shown.

>>> a = testTwo('Hello, World.')
>>> print a
Hello, World.

Hope that helps. Just know that return passes the value to the variable. Good luck!

Aug 5th, 2004, 6:48 PM	#1
G.I.Josh Programmer Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Eastern U.S Posts: 51 Rep Power: 5	I'm having a difficult time grasping the concept of returning values in functions. Here is what I think I know. If you have a function like (Toggle Plain Text) def welcome_message(name): print name welcome_message(G.I.Josh) def welcome_message(name): print name welcome_message(G.I.Josh) It will store the value G.I.Josh in a variable called name. Now, if I added return G.I.Josh, what exactly would happen? Also, if I needed to get more then one variable from outside of the function into the function, how could I do that? And lastly. How can I keep variables I manipulate inside the function from going back to their orriginal value once the function is over? Thanks. __________________ http://exponentialab.blogspot.com/ - w00t, I've started a blog!

Aug 6th, 2004, 12:09 PM	#2
thechristelegacy Expert Programmer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Somerset, Pa Posts: 708 Rep Power: 5	Alright, when you code (Toggle Plain Text) def welcome_message(name): print name welcome_message(G.I.Josh) def welcome_message(name): print name welcome_message(G.I.Josh) all it does is print the value, but it doesn't assign it to a variable. For example I'll show you two comparisons of using it and not using it.. (Toggle Plain Text) >>> def testOne(a): ... print a >>> def testOne(a): ... print a and (Toggle Plain Text) >>> def testTwo(a): ... return a; >>> def testTwo(a): ... return a; Here is what you would get when you run each one. >>> a = testOne('Hello, World.') Hello, World. But that value isn't assigned to a you'll see if you try to print a this happens. >>> print t None You'll see that no value is stored for it. But when you run the second one with the return statement. It does send a value back to the variable as shown. >>> a = testTwo('Hello, World.') >>> print a Hello, World. Hope that helps. Just know that return passes the value to the variable. Good luck!

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Programming Forums > Script Programming > Python

Returning Values In Functions - Multiple Questions