# Chapter 6: Functions¶

Functions are blocks of code identified by a name, which can receive predetermined parameters.

In Python, functions:

• Can return objects or not.
• Accept Doc Strings.
• Accept optional parameters (with defaults ). If no parameter is passed, it will be equal to the default defined in the function.
• Accepts parameters to be passed by name. In this case, the order in which the parameters were passed does not matter.
• Have their own namespace (local scope), and therefore may obscure definitions of global scope.
• Can have their properties changed (usually by decorators).

Doc Strings are strings that are attached to a Python structure. In functions, Doc strings are placed within the body of the function, usually at the beginning. The goal of Doc Strings is to be used as documentation for this structure.

Syntax:

def func(parameter1, parameter2=default_value):
"""
Doc String
"""
<code block>
return value



The parameters with default value must be declared after the ones without default value.

Example (factorial with recursion):

In [2]:
# Fatorial implemented with recursion

def factorial(num):

if num <= 1:
return 1
else:
return(num * factorial(num - 1))

# Testing factorial()
print fatorial(5)

120


Example (factorial without recursion):

In [3]:
def fatorial(n):

n = n if n > 1 else 1
j = 1
for i in range(1, n + 1):
j = j * i
return j

# Testing...
for i in range(1, 6):
print i, '->', fatorial(i)

1 -> 1
2 -> 2
3 -> 6
4 -> 24
5 -> 120


Example (Fibonacci series with recursion):

In [4]:
def fib(n):
"""Fibonacci:
fib(n) = fib(n - 1) + fib(n - 2) se n > 1
fib(n) = 1 se n <= 1
"""
if n > 1:
return fib(n - 1) + fib(n - 2)
else:
return 1

# Show Fibonacci from 1 to 5
for i in [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]:
print i, '=>', fib(i)

1 => 1
2 => 2
3 => 3
4 => 5
5 => 8


Example (Fibonacci series without recursion):

In [5]:
def fib(n):
"""Fibonacci:
fib(n) = fib(n - 1) + fib(n - 2) se n > 1
fib(n) = 1 se n <= 1
"""

# the first two values
l = [1, 1]

# Calculating the others
for i in range(2, n + 1):
l.append(l[i -1] + l[i - 2])

return l[n]

# Show Fibonacci from 1 to 5
for i in [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]:
print i, '=>', fib(i)

1 => 1
2 => 2
3 => 3
4 => 5
5 => 8


Example (RGB conversion):

In [6]:
def rgb_html(r=0, g=0, b=0):
"""Converts R, G, B to #RRGGBB"""

return '#%02x%02x%02x' % (r, g, b)

def html_rgb(color='#000000'):
"""Converts #RRGGBB em R, G, B"""

if color.startswith('#'): color = color[1:]

r = int(color[:2], 16)
g = int(color[2:4], 16)
b = int(color[4:], 16)

return r, g, b # a sequence

print rgb_html(200, 200, 255)
print rgb_html(b=200, g=200, r=255) # what's happened?
print html_rgb('#c8c8ff')

#c8c8ff
#ffc8c8
(200, 200, 255)


Observations:

• The arguments with default value must come last, after the non-default arguments.
• The default value for a parameter is calculated when the function is defined.
• The arguments passed without an identifier are received by the function in the form of a list.
• The arguments passed to the function with an identifier are received in the form of a dictionary.
• The parameters passed to the function with an identifier should come at the end of the parameter list.

Example of how to get all parameters:

In [*]:
# *args - arguments without name (list)
# **kargs - arguments with name (ditcionary)

def func(*args, **kargs):
print args
print kargs

func('weigh', 10, unit='k')

('weigh', 10)
{'unit': 'k'}


In the example, kargs will receive the named arguments and args will receive the others.

The interpreter has some builtin functions defined, including sorted(), which orders sequences, and cmp(), which makes comparisons between two arguments and returns -1 if the first element is greater, 0 (zero) if they are equal, or 1 if the latter is higher. This function is used by the routine of ordering, a behavior that can be modified.

Example:

In [*]:
data = [(4, 3), (5, 1), (7, 2), (9, 0)]

# Comparing by the last element
def _cmp(x, y):
return cmp(x[-1], y[-1])

print 'List:', data

# Ordering using  _cmp()
print 'Ordered:', sorted(data, _cmp)

List: [(4, 3), (5, 1), (7, 2), (9, 0)]
Ordered: [(9, 0), (5, 1), (7, 2), (4, 3)]


Python also has a builtin function eval(), which evaluates code (source or object) and returns the value.

Example:

In [9]:
print eval('12. / 2 + 3.3')

9.3


With that it's possible to mount code to be passed to the interpreter during the execution of a program. This feature should be used with caution because code assembled from system inputs open up security holes.

In [1]:


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