python return function from another file (specific)

kenobi421 · 2019-05-21T16:27:39.000Z

Hello. Python noob but enjoying it. I have been looking around for answers on this but can’t find anything. It is pretty simple so I am surprised as this is such a basic request but I will be able to do so much with it. So here goes…

file1.py is as follows

def var1():
print “This is variable one”

def var2():
print “This is variable two”

def var3():
print “This is variable three”

var1()
var2()
var3()

This prints the following:

This is variable one
This is variable two
This is variable three

Great just what I was expecting. The tough bit comes next. I would like to call the function from a 2nd file so that I can organise things nicely in the future so I thought give it a try. So what I would like to do is to call just the output from variable 1 from a command in a second file.

I have tried as follows:

file1.py is as follows

from file1 import var1

var1()

Now although this works and I get the print “This is variable one” I also get “This is variable two” & “This is variable three”

I didn’t want those other 2 printed.

Can anyone let me know what I am doing wrong please?

Neally · 2019-05-21T16:33:55.000Z

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kenobi421 · 2019-05-21T16:36:45.000Z

I am sorry I tried that twice but both times it put the script at the bottom of the page and thus out of logical order. I was careful t make sure that I had my cursor in the correct location. I am using Firefox to post this. Once again apologies.

Neally · 2019-05-21T16:38:15.000Z

Marc.W:

I am sorry I tried that twice but both times it put the script at the bottom of the page and thus out of logical order. I was careful t make sure that I had my cursor in the correct location. I am using Firefox to post this. Once again apologies.

Huh odd, you tried ¯_(ツ)_/¯

pbrain · 2019-05-21T16:41:46.000Z

Could you not just import all of the variables and then just use the one you want?

from file1 import *

kenobi421 · 2019-05-21T16:52:47.000Z

I’ve just tried that and it still goes through them all. It is like it just reads from the file 1 and doesn’t know when to stop. So now I am trying to figure out where File 2 is reading from so I commented out var3 (at the bottom of File1 to see what would happen and it looks like it is reading from the bottom and once var1 is done it goes to the next line and reads var2. In other words it is not getting its infomation from the def var1 part at the top of file1 Is there a way to say for instance only return var2 withough it carrying on down the list of actions in file1?

I hope I am making myself clear

zed · 2019-05-21T20:45:24.000Z

I don’t know python but is it because you are setting your variables to various print commands and not just strings?

Var1 = “this is variable 1”

vs

Var1 = print “this is variable 1”

kenobi421 · 2019-05-22T05:35:22.000Z

No still returns all 3.
I have a solution. Probably not elegant bit it works until I can find something better. The solution is to list 1 method per file and then call the methods. For instance.

Main file - calls the functions from other files that I want .

File1 - has one method inside it
File2 - has one method inside it
Etc etc

That way the methods/functions (whatever they are called lol) will not pull across the other functions that I don’t want.

That is the only way that I can think of to carry on. Hopefully something more elegant will show up in the online courses that I am doing at some point.

I find the courses a bit boring and there is no one that you can speak to if you need help so I like to try some stuff myself to try and make it a bit more fun.

Anyway many thanks for all of the suggestions.

juan-aguirre · 2019-05-22T12:26:39.000Z

Hi!

How are you running these programs? It seems to me that perhaps you are executing file1 by accident. Also save the files after any change, as you could be running an old instance of it.

As you stated, file1.py has 3 functions. file2.py should have an import statement and the call var1(). Check if you are executing the correct file (it should be file2.py)

Also, try using parenthesis when calling the print function:

print("This is var1 or whatever",argument2,..., etc.)

Good luck!

mitchherndon · 2019-06-13T11:50:22.000Z

did you try putting your variables in a class?:

File1:

class variables:
  def var1(self):
    self.var1 = "This is variable one"
    print self.var1

  def var2(self):
    self.var2 = "This is variable two"
    print self.var1

  def var3(self):
    self.var3 =  "This is variable three"
    print self.var1

file2:

from file1 import *

var123 = variables()

var123.var1()

from this: Learning Python: print variable inside a function from another function - Stack Overflow