Printing inherited class in Python

Question

I am attempting to combine two classes into one class. Towards the end of the code block you will see a class called starwarsbox. This incorporates the character and box classes. The goal is print out a box made out of asterisks and the information of a Star Wars character (this is for my learning). I have tried looking up how to use repr but have had no luck implementing it. I appreciate your help.

I get <__main__.starwarsbox object at 0x000000000352A128>

class character:
    'common base class for all star wars characters'
    charCount = 0

    def __init__(self, name, occupation, affiliation, species):
        self.name = name
        self.occupation = occupation
        self.affiliation = affiliation
        self.species = species
        character.charCount +=1

    def displayCount(self):
        print ("Total characters: %d" % character.charCount)

    def displayCharacter(self):
        print ('Name :', self.name, ', Occupation:', self.occupation, ', Affiliation:', self.affiliation, ', Species:', self.species)


darth_vader = character('Darth Vader', 'Sith Lord', 'Sith', 'Human')
chewbacca = character('Chewbacca', 'Co-pilot and first mate on Millenium Falcon', 'Galactic Republic & Rebel Alliance', 'Wookiee')


class box:
    """let's print a box bro"""

    def __init__(self, x, y, title):
        self.x = x
        self.y = y
        self.title = title

    def createbox(self):
        for i in range(self.x):
            for j in range(self.y):
                 print('*' if i in [0, self.x-1] or j in [0, self.y-1] else ' ', end='')
            print()

vaderbox = box(10, 10, 'box')
vaderbox.createbox()


class starwarsbox(character, box):
    def __init__(self, name, occupation, affiliation, species, x, y, title):
        character.__init__(self, name, occupation, affiliation, species)
        box.__init__(self, x, y, title)

    def __str__(self):
        return box.__str__(self) + character.__str__(self)

newbox = starwarsbox('luke','jedi','republic','human',10,10,'box')

print(repr(newbox))

what the would call be then? I tried print (str(newbox)) and it still shows <__main__.starwarsbox object at 0x000000000350A128> — stuffatwork190
– stuffatwork190, Commented Feb 11, 2016 at 17:50
Implement your __str__ function in box and Character classes then use print(newbox). — Kenly
– Kenly, Commented Feb 11, 2016 at 17:58
str attempts to invoke __str__ and falls back to __repr__ if it's not defined. (That is to say, object.__str__ delegates to object.__repr__.) repr always calls __repr__. — Benjamin Hodgson
– Benjamin Hodgson, Commented Feb 11, 2016 at 17:58

Joseph Hackman · Accepted Answer · 2016-02-11 18:01:59Z

1

First, as chepner mentions, the last line should be print(str(newbox)).

starwarsbox has __str__ implemented, but box and character don't.

box should look like:

    def __str__(self):
        result = ""
        for i in range(self.x):
            for j in range(self.y):
                result += '*' if i in [0, self.x - 1] or j in [0, self.y - 1] else ' '
            result += '\n'
        return result

and character should look like:

    def __str__(self):
        return 'Name :' + self.name + ', Occupation:' + self.occupation + ', Affiliation:' + self.affiliation + ', Species:' + self.species

Compare these to your code, and see how you could implement displayCharacter and createBox using the implementations of __str__. :)

answered Feb 11, 2016 at 18:01

Joseph Hackman

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5 Comments

stuffatwork190 Over a year ago

Thank you so much!!! This worked! :-). I am so grateful. I've been trying to wrap my head around this for two days... lol.

Kenly Over a year ago

What is the difference between print(str(newbox)) and print(newbox).

stuffatwork190 Over a year ago

I just tried doing print(newbox) and it works the same as print(str(newbox)). I'm guessing because the other changes made ensure that it is a string being printed.

Joseph Hackman Over a year ago

@WoLy, they are functionally the same, but I thought that the direct replacement of repr with str would be more clear for asker.

Kenly Over a year ago

it is better to explain.

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