Python class method inheritance

Question

I have 2 classes, one inherits from the other. I need instances of WOFPlayer to take 1 required parameter - name, 2 optional and instances of WOFComputerPlayer to take 2 required parameters - name and difficulty and 2 optional as in the WOFPlayer. How do I do that?

Here's what I have tried

class WOFPlayer:
    def __init__(self, name, prizeMoney = 0, prizes = []):
        self.name = name
        self.prizeMoney = prizeMoney
        self.prizes = prizes[:]

class WOFComputerPlayer(WOFPlayer):
    def __init__(self, difficulty):
        WOFPlayer.__init__(self, name, prizeMoney = 0, prizes = [])
        self.difficulty = difficulty

Thanks in advance

For the instances in ```WOFPlayer``` which you would not like to be inherited in ```WOFComputerPlayer```, you can set them as ```private``` instances. To do so, just put two underlines before the name of the instances. For example, ```__name```. — Liana, Sep 05 '20 at 06:47
Well, if `WOFComputerPlayer.__init__` is supposed to accept both `name` and `difficulty` as parameters, then the first thing is that they should both appear between the parentheses that appear after `def __init__`. Otherwise, I don't see what the actual question is. — Karl Knechtel, Sep 05 '20 at 07:02

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 05 '20 at 06:49

I need instances of WOFPlayer to take 1 required parameter - name, 2 optional

I would strongly suggest you don't use a mutable object (the list in this case) as a default argument. Here's why.

and instances of WOFComputerPlayer to take 2 required parameters - name and difficulty and 2 optional as in the WOFPlayer

You need to pass in the values from WOFComputerPlayer to its base class. That is, pass in name to WOFComputerPlayer.

class WOFComputerPlayer(WOFPlayer):
    def __init__(self, name, difficulty, prize_money=0, prizes=None):
        WOFPlayer.__init__(self, name, prizeMoney=prize_money, prizes=prizes)
        self.difficulty = difficulty

Prayson W. Daniel · Answer 2 · 2020-09-05T07:03:15.083

You are closer than you think.


class WOFPlayer:
    def __init__(self, name, prizeMoney=0, prizes=None):
        
        self.name = name
        self.prizeMoney = prizeMoney

        if prizes is None:
            prizes = []
        self.prizes = prizes[:]

class WOFComputerPlayer(WOFPlayer):
    def __init__(self, name, difficulty, prizeMoney=0, prizes=None):
        super().__init__(name, prizeMoney, prizes)
        self.difficulty = difficulty

Note that I replaced passing a mutable value as a default argument. [] as default argument will mutate anytime that value is mutated, which can be a recipe for a bug. But the rest of the code is yours.

Python class method inheritance

2 Answers2