how to dispatch objects depending on their class

[Peter Abel]

Curzio Basso <curzio.basso at unibas.ch> wrote in message news:<4118dd4a$1 at maser.urz.unibas.ch>...
> Hi all.
> 
> I have a couple of question regarding the following situation:
> 
> class A(object):
>    def __init__(self):
>      pass
> 
> class B(object):
>    def __init__(self):
>      A.__init__(self)
> 
> def func(object):
>    if isinstance(object, A):
>      do_something_with_A(object)
>    elif isinstance(object, B):
>      do_something_with_B(object)
> 
> Note that in my real problem I cannot move the logic of func to the 
> class A and B because I will have a hierarchy also for func. Then I need 
> a way to dispatch the object to the right function. I thought about 
> using a dictionary, like:
> 
> FUNC = {"<class '__main__.A'>": do_something_with_A,
>          "<class '__main__.B'>": do_something_with_B}
> 
> def func(object):
>    FUNC[type(object)](object)
> 
> But: (1) I am not sure of what the type(object) function return. In this 
> case A and B are in the __main__ namespace (assuming this is how is 
> called), but if they are in a module; (2) I am not sure if it is 
> efficient; and finally (3): probably there is a better way to do it 
> (this is always a safe assumption).
> 
> I hope my problem is clear, and excuse me if I am asking about something 
> that is common knowledge, but I don't even know what to google for...
> 
> thanks, curzio


At my opinion you try to do something outside a class which should
be a basic task of OOP. Why not let the instances do their class-specific
things:

class A(object):
  def __init__(self):
    pass
  def do_something(self):
    """ Do A-specific things """
    pass

class B(object):
  def __init__(self):
    A.__init__(self)
  def do_something(self):
    """ Do B-specific things """
    pass

a=A()
b=B()
a.do_something()
b.do_something()

Regards
Peter