Django with argument **kwargs

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Possible Duplicate:
What does *args and **kwargs mean?
Understanding kwargs in Python

I've found some strange syntax in Django framework like:

class Blog(models.Model):
    name = models.CharField(max_length=100)
    tagline = models.TextField()

    def save(self, *args, **kwargs):
        do_something()
        super(Blog, self).save(*args, **kwargs) # Call the "real" save() method.
        do_something_else()

My question is: what does the star means in the name of the argument. Is there anything with pointer in C? Thanks

Read about them here: http://www.saltycrane.com/blog/2008/01/how-to-use-args-and-kwargs-in-python/ — Blender, Mar 28 '12 at 16:27
also read similar questions e.g. http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3394835/args-and-kwargs — Anurag Uniyal, Mar 28 '12 at 16:32
also: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/287085/what-does-args-and-kwargs-mean — alan, Mar 28 '12 at 16:32

Ashwini Chaudhary · Accepted Answer · 2013-05-04T12:40:18.033

1

if you call save using these arguments:

save(1,2,3,4,a=20,b=30,c=40)

then args will be equal to (1,2,3,4) i.e. a Tuple and kwargs will be equal to {'a':20,'b':30,'c':40} a dictionary

these * and ** notations are used for collecting arguments in Python , they are not Pointers.

edited May 04 '13 at 12:40

answered Mar 28 '12 at 16:32

Ashwini Chaudhary

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score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 28 '12 at 16:36

0

It's a python arguments syntax:

*args - list of unnamed arguments
**kwargs - dictionary (named arguments)

answered Mar 28 '12 at 16:36

Ivan Kolodyazhny

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Django with argument **kwargs

2 Answers2