Programming Forums > Script Programming > Python

Fred · Mar 3rd, 2005, 4:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arod199113

so "def" gives another name to a variable?

:o I give up...

Fred · Mar 3rd, 2005, 4:12 PM

ok....
'def' assigns a certain process to a name. Just like naming this 'foot in front of the other foot' walking. You just say def and the the name. The you press ':' this sign and press enter. And the you kust tell the computer what to do, everytime you say the name.
The easiest example of them all:

(Toggle Plain Text)

def HelloWorld():
   print 'Hello World'

And that is it. So now, everytime in your program, whwn you type 'HelloWorld', a message appears, saying 'Hello World'...
Not that hard, is it???

Hope this helps
Fred

arod199113 · Mar 3rd, 2005, 4:51 PM

ok
that helped
you said it in simpler terms
but are the "()" necessary at the end?
and what is the point of putting something in the bracket?

Fred · Mar 3rd, 2005, 5:06 PM

They are necessary. They are used to pass so called 'arguments'. That is the information, the function needs to wrok. To go back to our 'HelloWorld' function:

(Toggle Plain Text)

def HelloWorld(n): #n is a namespace for an argument
   print 'Hello World' * n

So, now when you type:

(Toggle Plain Text)

HelloWorld(1)

the program prints the message once.
If you type:

(Toggle Plain Text)

HelloWorld(2)

The you get the message twice.

Or if we use our other example and define the function 'walk', you could give the computer the number of steps to go.

arod199113 · Mar 3rd, 2005, 6:06 PM

you have to explain it to me a little simpler
what does

(Toggle Plain Text)

print 'Hello World' * n

do?
it multiplies 'helloworld' by n but what is "n"?

Fred · Mar 3rd, 2005, 7:57 PM

Did you take math in school???
n can be any natural number. Meaning, that it can be any number without desmos or fractions which is bigger than 0.
In other words, n is a variable.
It is the number, which you put into the brackets, when you call the function (when you apply the prcess).
I strongly advise reading this tutorial:
http://www.ibiblio.org/obp/thinkCSpy/chap03.htm (functions in general)
and
http://www.ibiblio.org/obp/thinkCSpy/chap05.htm (useful functions and how to apply them)

arod199113 · Mar 3rd, 2005, 9:39 PM

i understand math
i just dont cant understand functions in python
math != python
math <= python

Mar 3rd, 2005, 4:12 PM	#12
Fred Programmer Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 67 Rep Power: 4	ok.... 'def' assigns a certain process to a name. Just like naming this 'foot in front of the other foot' walking. You just say def and the the name. The you press ':' this sign and press enter. And the you kust tell the computer what to do, everytime you say the name. The easiest example of them all: (Toggle Plain Text) def HelloWorld(): print 'Hello World' def HelloWorld(): print 'Hello World' And that is it. So now, everytime in your program, whwn you type 'HelloWorld', a message appears, saying 'Hello World'... Not that hard, is it??? Hope this helps Fred

Mar 3rd, 2005, 5:06 PM	#14
Fred Programmer Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 67 Rep Power: 4	They are necessary. They are used to pass so called 'arguments'. That is the information, the function needs to wrok. To go back to our 'HelloWorld' function: (Toggle Plain Text) def HelloWorld(n): #n is a namespace for an argument print 'Hello World' * n def HelloWorld(n): #n is a namespace for an argument print 'Hello World' * n So, now when you type: (Toggle Plain Text) HelloWorld(1) HelloWorld(1) the program prints the message once. If you type: (Toggle Plain Text) HelloWorld(2) HelloWorld(2) The you get the message twice. Or if we use our other example and define the function 'walk', you could give the computer the number of steps to go.

Mar 3rd, 2005, 6:06 PM	#15
arod199113 Programmer Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 86 Rep Power: 0	you have to explain it to me a little simpler what does (Toggle Plain Text) print 'Hello World' * n print 'Hello World' * n do? it multiplies 'helloworld' by n but what is "n"? Last edited by arod199113; Mar 3rd, 2005 at 6:10 PM.

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Mar 3rd, 2005, 4:51 PM	#13
arod199113 Programmer Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 86 Rep Power: 0	ok that helped you said it in simpler terms but are the "()" necessary at the end? and what is the point of putting something in the bracket?

Mar 3rd, 2005, 7:57 PM	#16
Fred Programmer Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 67 Rep Power: 4	Did you take math in school??? n can be any natural number. Meaning, that it can be any number without desmos or fractions which is bigger than 0. In other words, n is a variable. It is the number, which you put into the brackets, when you call the function (when you apply the prcess). I strongly advise reading this tutorial: http://www.ibiblio.org/obp/thinkCSpy/chap03.htm (functions in general) and http://www.ibiblio.org/obp/thinkCSpy/chap05.htm (useful functions and how to apply them)

Mar 3rd, 2005, 9:39 PM	#17
arod199113 Programmer Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 86 Rep Power: 0	i understand math i just dont cant understand functions in python math != python math <= python

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Programming Forums > Script Programming > Python

def my_abs()?