On 1/9/2011 4:42 PM, Alan Gauld wrote:
"Corey Richardson" <kb1...@aim.com> wrote
Do all classes need an __init__() method? I have classes that look much
like this one starts out:
No, init() is only for initialising the object instance.
If you have no local instance spwecific initialisation
you can leave it to the inherited init() aor have no init()
at all.
Well I'd like to expand that a bit. There are cases where I create a
class attribute and update it each time an instance is created. O
OTOH If you do have no need for an init it implies you
probably have no instance variables, which is somewhat unusual.
Not unheard of - you may only be modifying the behaviour of an
inherited class - but it is unusual.
class GenerateXML(object):
"""Defines methods to be inherited for StaticXML and AnimationXML"""
def __init__(self):
pass
IN this case it is a waste of time. It could even do harm in cases
where you ingherit from a superclass that does have an init()
since the pass will mean it never gets called! Whereas if you
omit the init() the suiperclass init(if it exists) will get called.
HTH,
--
Bob Gailer
919-636-4239
Chapel Hill NC
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