Path: csiph.com!v102.xanadu-bbs.net!xanadu-bbs.net!feeder.erje.net!eu.feeder.erje.net!ecngs!feeder2.ecngs.de!81.171.88.16.MISMATCH!hq-usenetpeers!hq-usenetpeers.eweka.nl!xlned.com!feeder1.xlned.com!newsfeed.xs4all.nl!newsfeed1.news.xs4all.nl!xs4all!newsgate.cistron.nl!newsgate.news.xs4all.nl!post.news.xs4all.nl!not-for-mail Return-Path: X-Original-To: python-list@python.org Delivered-To: python-list@mail.python.org X-Spam-Status: OK 0.002 X-Spam-Evidence: '*H*': 1.00; '*S*': 0.00; 'args': 0.07; 'method.': 0.07; 'subject:Question': 0.07; 'suppose': 0.07; 'arguments,': 0.09; 'override': 0.09; 'cc:addr:python-list': 0.11; '23,': 0.16; 'all?': 0.16; 'args,': 0.16; 'from:addr:rosuav': 0.16; 'from:name:chris angelico': 0.16; 'given,': 0.16; 'optional': 0.16; 'subject:object': 0.16; 'wrote:': 0.18; 'wed,': 0.18; 'cc:addr:python.org': 0.22; "aren't": 0.24; 'cc:2**0': 0.24; 'header:In-Reply-To:1': 0.27; 'function': 0.29; 'message- id:@mail.gmail.com': 0.30; 'code': 0.31; 'usually': 0.31; '(although': 0.31; "d'aprano": 0.31; 'steven': 0.31; 'yes.': 0.31; 'class': 0.32; 'comment': 0.34; 'but': 0.35; 'received:google.com': 0.35; 'there': 0.35; 'doing': 0.36; 'method': 0.36; "i'll": 0.36; 'subject:?': 0.36; 'being': 0.38; 'sometimes': 0.38; 'pm,': 0.38; 'rather': 0.38; 'such': 0.63; 'choose': 0.64; 'jul': 0.74; 'to:none': 0.92 DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20120113; h=mime-version:in-reply-to:references:date:message-id:subject:from:cc :content-type; bh=nGHRqp8SYrW0UdBnFcOBIBYBQu8+1qghYGMxJqQQhEw=; b=ok4tHkCJul5DMYnrVWtq3HeG581GVVL0FSpe5AVZPZ1ZuDGq9jkSBHAmCaZbiZkcJ1 vg2Ynb26u8iiyFGx+jsWyBnxswDG9XwLAzoWDj/sg+b+DsWRAfYXWehyWMFB6fOnTeK2 go1wpLOUucx0jFop+jTLyq8004Kb4OvC0b/jtLa4R6xKMCJVx39pc3bIjuhmOdymCzVb OITw7T2CK0DftidNO61+LP/qkyy1tuOmuIY86iM2vNNTH6GBhqdPCshbnh/SLdmRUfXN DZyh6KV7CMvK0QvVINrHwv5aXxiiwf26a+yOgEIkc3B/G2hl6OPNOXGgSfTTJQ9f6ouy 74rg== MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Received: by 10.52.119.179 with SMTP id kv19mr39740180vdb.3.1406095640776; Tue, 22 Jul 2014 23:07:20 -0700 (PDT) In-Reply-To: <53cf499c$0$29897$c3e8da3$5496439d@news.astraweb.com> References: <9219a041-0d6f-4e90-b209-5fd7c50ae1fd@googlegroups.com> <53cf499c$0$29897$c3e8da3$5496439d@news.astraweb.com> Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2014 16:07:20 +1000 Subject: Re: Question about Pass-by-object-reference? From: Chris Angelico Cc: "python-list@python.org" Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 X-BeenThere: python-list@python.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.15 Precedence: list List-Id: General discussion list for the Python programming language List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Newsgroups: comp.lang.python Message-ID: Lines: 13 NNTP-Posting-Host: 2001:888:2000:d::a6 X-Trace: 1406095649 news.xs4all.nl 2888 [2001:888:2000:d::a6]:47762 X-Complaints-To: abuse@xs4all.nl X-Received-Bytes: 4129 X-Received-Body-CRC: 3185013092 Xref: csiph.com comp.lang.python:75059 On Wed, Jul 23, 2014 at 3:35 PM, Steven D'Aprano wrote: > If you say "nothing is being passed", then my response would be "Oh, you > aren't calling the function at all? Or just calling it with no arguments?" The latter. Suppose you have a class method that takes optional args, and you override it in a subclass. The subclass's method may choose to swallow any args it was given, and "pass nothing" to the super() method. I have code doing exactly this, and sometimes it's important to comment it as such (although I'll usually word it as "pass on no args" or something, rather than just "pass nothing"). But yes. If there are any arguments, they are being passed. ChrisA