Python None variables usage

Question

Is there any way to simplify the following code:

def get_or_create_user(id, photo=None, first_name=None, last_name=None, nickname=None, organization=None, city=None, country=None):
    ... # save user in the datastore

class UserCreationHandler(webapp.RequestHandler):
    def get(self):
        id = self.request.get('id')
        photo = None
        first_name = None
        last_name = None
        nickname = None
        organization = None
        city = None
        country = None
        if something1:
            # do some calculations
            if something2:
                # do some other calculations
                if something3:
                    # assign id, photo, first_name etc. values 
        get_or_create_user(id, photo, first_name, last_name, nickname, organization, city, country)

I don't like these assignments to None.

Roman Bodnarchuk · Accepted Answer · 2011-10-19 20:01:45Z

6

Something like:

def get(self):
    id = self.request.get('id')
    user_details = {}
    if something:
        # assign user_details['id'], user_details['photo'], user_details['first_name'] etc. values
    get_or_create_user(id, **user_details)

answered Oct 19, 2011 at 20:01

Roman Bodnarchuk

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2 Comments

LA_ Over a year ago

Thanks. What is the purpose of these **?

Austin Marshall Over a year ago

@LA_ ** expands a dict to named arguments when calling a function. Similarly, * expands a list for positional arguments.

orlp · Accepted Answer · 2011-10-19 20:00:05Z

3

Seeing that get_or_create_user uses default arguments set to None:

def get_or_create_user(id, photo=None, first_name=None, last_name=None, nickname=None, organization=None, city=None, country=None):

You can just use this:

class UserCreationHandler(webapp.RequestHandler):
    def get(self):
        id = self.request.get('id')
        if something:
            # set stuff ...
            # and then call get_or_create_user(...)
        else:
            get_or_create_user(id)

answered Oct 19, 2011 at 20:00

orlp

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1 Comment

LA_ Over a year ago

Sorry, actually there are more IF conditions - I've updated the code.

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