Inheritance and init method in Python
PythonInheritanceInitPython Problem Overview
I'm begginer of python. I can't understand inheritance and __init__()
.
class Num:
def __init__(self,num):
self.n1 = num
class Num2(Num):
def show(self):
print self.n1
mynumber = Num2(8)
mynumber.show()
RESULT: 8
This is OK. But I replace Num2
with
class Num2(Num):
def __init__(self,num):
self.n2 = num*2
def show(self):
print self.n1,self.n2
RESULT: Error. Num2 has no attribute "n1".
In this case, how can Num2
access n1
?
Python Solutions
Solution 1 - Python
In the first situation, Num2
is extending the class Num
and since you are not redefining the special method named __init__()
in Num2
, it gets inherited from Num
.
> When a class defines an __init__()
> method, class instantiation
> automatically invokes __init__()
for
> the newly-created class instance.
In the second situation, since you are redefining __init__()
in Num2
you need to explicitly call the one in the super class (Num
) if you want to extend its behavior.
class Num2(Num):
def __init__(self,num):
Num.__init__(self,num)
self.n2 = num*2
Solution 2 - Python
When you override the init you have also to call the init of the parent class
super(Num2, self).__init__(num)
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/576169/understanding-python-super
Solution 3 - Python
A simple change in Num2 class like this:
super().__init__(num)
It works in python3.
class Num:
def __init__(self,num):
self.n1 = num
class Num2(Num):
def __init__(self,num):
super().__init__(num)
self.n2 = num*2
def show(self):
print (self.n1,self.n2)
mynumber = Num2(8)
mynumber.show()
Solution 4 - Python
Since you don't call Num.__init__
, the field "n1" never gets created. Call it and then it will be there.