Passing arguments to super class init in python

Question

Consider the following class:

class Car():
    def __init__(self, model):
        self.model = model

If I wanted to define specific models, I could do something like this:

class FordGT(Car):
    model = "Ford GT"
    def __init__(self):
        Car.__init__(self,self.model)

In that way, I could create a large amount of different car models. The only problem with doing this though, is that for every car model, I am repeating the init function.

def __init__(self):
    Car.__init__(self,self.model)

Code repetition to me is always a sign of bad code. How could I fix this? Is it possible to pass init arguments to the parent without using an init on a child?

I used a car example just to simplify, but in fact I have a series of regular expressions, where each class defines a pattern I'm searching for. I then define all the processing functions in the parent class, so as to avoid repeating code. — jhc
– jhc, Commented Feb 17, 2017 at 15:38

Daniel Roseman · Accepted Answer · 2017-02-17 15:07:44Z

1

Firstly, you need to drop that over-broad assumption. Repeated code is not necessarily bad code, if by repeating something you make the code as a whole clearer.

Secondly, though, I don't understand why you need the __init__ at all, or the call to the superclass method. self.model is the same when accessed from a method originally defined on the subclass as it is from a method originally defined on the superclass; that is the whole point of inheritance. So you can just use that attribute throughout.

answered Feb 17, 2017 at 15:07

Daniel Roseman

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1 Comment

jhc Over a year ago

Yep, I didn't need the inits at all. Thanks!

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