Using local variables outside their functions

Question

I understand that functions are useful for code which will be used multiple times so I tried creating a function to save myself time and make my code look neater. The function I had looks like this:

def drawCard():
    drawnCard = random.choice(cardDeck)
    adPos = cardDeck.index(drawnCard)
    drawnCardValue = cardValues[adPos]

However, I am not sure how to return these variables as they are local(?). Therefore, I can not use these variables outside the function. I am just wondering if someone could help edit this function in a way where I could use the drawnCard and drawnCardValue variables outside the function?

return

arshajii
– arshajii

2014-03-22 14:33:13 +00:00
Commented Mar 22, 2014 at 14:33 — arshajii
– arshajii, Commented Mar 22, 2014 at 14:33

Community · Accepted Answer · 2020-06-20 09:12:55Z

3

Use return:

def drawCard():
    drawnCard = random.choice(cardDeck)
    adPos = cardDeck.index(drawnCard)
    drawnCardValue = cardValues[adPos]
    return drawnCard, drawnCardValue

drawnCard, drawnCardValue = drawnCard()

Note, you could also write drawCard this way:

def drawCard():
    adPos = random.randrange(len(cardDeck))
    drawnCard = cardDeck[adPos]
    drawnCardValue = cardValues[adPos]
    return drawnCard, drawnCardValue

These two functions behave differently if cardDeck contains duplicates, however. cardDeck.index would always return the first index, so drawnCardValue would always correspond to the first item which is a duplicate. It would never return the second value (which in theory could be different.)

If you use adPos = random.randrange(len(cardDeck)) then every item in cardValue has an equal chance of being selected -- assuming len(cardValue) == len(cardDeck).

edited Jun 20, 2020 at 9:12

CommunityBot

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answered Mar 22, 2014 at 14:32

unutbu

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