Python: how to reference values in a def

Question

As a very basic example of what I want to do, I want to update the values 1 and 2, after running them through the example method. Like how you would use ref for Java.

def example(value1, value2):
    value1 += 2
    value2 += 4

value1 = 0
value2 = 0

example(value1, value2)
print(str(value1))
print(str(value1))

I recommend looking up functions in the [official Python tutorial](https://docs.python.org/3.4/tutorial). — TigerhawkT3, Jun 15 '15 at 23:02

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 15 '15 at 23:01

0

You don't you need to return them

def example(value1, value2):
    value1 += 2
    value2 += 4
    return (value1, value2)

>>> value1 = 0
>>> value2 = 0
>>> value1, value2 = example(value1, value2)
>>> print(value1, value2)
2 4

You can only do what you are asking if the passed-in type is mutable, which an int is not.

answered Jun 15 '15 at 23:01

Cory Kramer

114,268
16
167
218

Well I needed the value as an int, so I've just repeated the code in my project. Thanks for helping :) – Grimat Jun 16 '15 at 04:20

Python: how to reference values in a def

1 Answers1