Python Classes/Objects

 Python is an object oriented programming language.

 Almost everything in Python is an object, with its properties and methods.
 A Class is like an object constructor, or a "blueprint" for creating objects.

Create a Class

To create a class, use the keyword class:

Example

Create a class named MyClass, with a property named x:

class MyClass:
x=5
Create Object

Now we can use the class named MyClass to create objects:

Example

Create an object named p1, and print the value of x:

p1 = MyClass()
print(p1.x)

The __init__() Function

 The examples above are classes and objects in their simplest form, and are not really useful in
real life applications.
 To understand the meaning of classes we have to understand the built-in __init__() function.
 All classes have a function called __init__(), which is always executed when the class is being
initiated.
 Use the __init__() function to assign values to object properties, or other operations that are
necessary to do when the object is being created:

Example

Create a class named Person, use the __init__() function to assign values for name and age:

class Person:
def __init__(self, name, age):
self.name = name
self.age = age

p1 = Person("John", 36)

print(p1.name)
print(p1.age)

Note: The __init__() function is called automatically every time the class is being used to create a new
object.
Object Methods
Objects can also contain methods. Methods in objects are functions that belong to the object.

Let us create a method in the Person class:

Example

Insert a function that prints a greeting, and execute it on the p1 object:

class Person:
def __init__(self, name, age):
self.name = name
self.age = age

def myfunc(self):
print("Hello my name is " + self.name)

p1 = Person("John", 36)
p1.myfunc()

Note: The self parameter is a reference to the current instance of the class, and is used to access
variables that belong to the class.
The self Parameter

 The self parameter is a reference to the current instance of the class, and is used to access
variables that belongs to the class.
 It does not have to be named self , you can call it whatever you like, but it has to be the first
parameter of any function in the class:

Example

Use the words mysillyobject and abc instead of self:

class Person:
def __init__(mysillyobject, name, age):
mysillyobject.name = name
mysillyobject.age = age

def myfunc(abc):
print("Hello my name is " + abc.name)

p1 = Person("John", 36)
p1.myfunc()
Modify Object Properties

You can modify properties on objects like this:

Example

Set the age of p1 to 40:

p1.age = 40

Delete Object Properties : You can delete properties on objects by using the del keyword:
 Example : Delete the age property from the p1 object:
del p1.age

Delete Objects : You can delete objects by using the del keyword:
Example: Delete the p1 object:
del p1

The pass Statement : class definitions cannot be empty, but if you for some reason have
a class definition with no content, put in the pass statement to avoid getting an error.
Example
class Person:
pass

Python Inheritance
Python Inheritance : Inheritance allows us to define a class that inherits all the methods and
properties from another class.

 Parent class is the class being inherited from, also called base class.
 Child class is the class that inherits from another class, also called derived class.

Create a Parent Class: Any class can be a parent class, so the syntax is the same as creating any other
class:
Example:: Create a class named Person, with firstname and lastname properties, and
a printname method:
class Person:
def __init__(self, fname, lname):
self.firstname = fname
self.lastname = lname

def printname(self):
print(self.firstname, self.lastname)

#Use the Person class to create an object, and then execute the printname method:

x = Person("John", "Doe")
x.printname()

Create a Child Class

To create a class that inherits the functionality from another class, send the parent class as a parameter
when creating the child class:

Example:: Create a class named Student, which will inherit the properties and methods from
the Person class:
class Student(Person):
pass
Note: Use the pass keyword when you do not want to add any other properties or methods to the class.

Now the Student class has the same properties and methods as the Person class.
 Example

Use the Student class to create an object, and then execute the printname method:

x = Student("Mike", "Olsen")
x.printname()

Add the __init__() Function

So far we have created a child class that inherits the properties and methods from its parent.

We want to add the __init__() function to the child class (instead of the pass keyword).

Note: The __init__() function is called automatically every time the class is being used to create a new
object.
Example

Add the __init__() function to the Student class:

class Student(Person):
def __init__(self, fname, lname):
#add properties etc.

When you add the __init__() function, the child class will no longer inherit the
parent's __init__() function.

Note: The child's __init__() function overrides the inheritance of the parent's __init__() function.

To keep the inheritance of the parent's __init__() function, add a call to the
parent's __init__() function:

Example
class Student(Person):
def __init__(self, fname, lname):
Person.__init__(self, fname, lname)
Now we have successfully added the __init__() function, and kept the inheritance of the parent class,
and we are ready to add functionality in the __init__() function.

Use the super() Function

Python also has a super() function that will make the child class inherit all the methods and properties
from its parent:

Example
class Student(Person):
def __init__(self, fname, lname):
super().__init__(fname, lname)

By using the super() function, you do not have to use the name of the parent element, it will
automatically inherit the methods and properties from its parent.
Add Properties
Example

Add a property called graduationyear to the Student class:

class Student(Person):
def __init__(self, fname, lname):
super().__init__(fname, lname)
self.graduationyear = 2019

In the example below, the year 2019 should be a variable, and passed into the Student class when
creating student objects. To do so, add another parameter in the __init__() function:

Example

Add a year parameter, and pass the correct year when creating objects:

class Student(Person):
def __init__(self, fname, lname, year):
super().__init__(fname, lname)
self.graduationyear = year

x = Student("Mike", "Olsen", 2019)

Add Methods
Example

Add a method called welcome to the Student class:

class Student(Person):
def __init__(self, fname, lname, year):
super().__init__(fname, lname)
self.graduationyear = year

def welcome(self):
print("Welcome", self.firstname, self.lastname, "to the class of", self.graduationyear)

If you add a method in the child class with the same name as a function in the parent class, the
inheritance of the parent method will be overridden.
 Python Iterators

 An iterator is an object that contains a countable number of values.

 An iterator is an object that can be iterated upon, meaning that you can traverse through all the
values.
 Technically, in Python, an iterator is an object which implements the iterator protocol, which
consist of the methods __iter__() and __next__().

Iterator vs Iterable
Lists, tuples, dictionaries, and sets are all iterable objects. They are iterable containers which you can
get an iterator from.
All these objects have a iter() method which is used to get an iterator:
Example : Return an iterator from a tuple, and print each value:
mytuple = ("apple", "banana", "cherry")
myit = iter(mytuple)

print(next(myit))
print(next(myit))
print(next(myit))

Even strings are iterable objects, and can return an iterator:

Example

Strings are also iterable objects, containing a sequence of characters:

mystr = "banana"
myit = iter(mystr)

print(next(myit))
print(next(myit))
print(next(myit))
print(next(myit))
print(next(myit))
print(next(myit))
Looping Through an Iterator: We can also use a for loop to iterate through an iterable object:
Example:: Iterate the values of a tuple:
mytuple = ("apple", "banana", "cherry")

for x in mytuple:
print(x)
Example:: Iterate the characters of a string:
mystr = "banana"

for x in mystr:
print(x)

The for loop actually creates an iterator object and executes the next() method for each loop.
Create an Iterator

 To create an object/class as an iterator you have to implement the

methods __iter__() and __next__() to your object.
 As you have learned in the Python Classes/Objects chapter, all classes have a function
called __init__(), which allows you to do some initializing when the object is being created.
 The __iter__() method acts similar, you can do operations (initializing etc.), but must always
return the iterator object itself.
 The __next__() method also allows you to do operations, and must return the next item in the
sequence.

Example

Create an iterator that returns numbers, starting with 1, and each sequence will increase by one
(returning 1,2,3,4,5 etc.):

class MyNumbers:
def __iter__(self):
self.a = 1
return self

def __next__(self):
x = self.a
self.a += 1
return x

myclass = MyNumbers()
myiter = iter(myclass)

print(next(myiter))
print(next(myiter))
print(next(myiter))
print(next(myiter))
print(next(myiter))

StopIteration

 The example above would continue forever if you had enough next() statements, or if it was
used in a for loop.
 To prevent the iteration to go on forever, we can use the StopIteration statement.
 In the __next__() method, we can add a terminating condition to raise an error if the iteration is
done a specified number of times:

Example return x
else:
Stop after 20 iterations: raise StopIteration

class MyNumbers: myclass = MyNumbers()

def __iter__(self): myiter = iter(myclass)
self.a = 1
return self for x in myiter:
print(x)
def __next__(self):
if self.a <= 20:
x = self.a
self.a += 1