Multiple initialization methods?

[Dennis Benzinger]

alex wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> it is possible to define multiple initialization methods so that the
> method is used that fits?

No, there is no overloading in Python.

> I am thinking of something like this:
> 
>   def __init__(self, par1, par2):
>     self.init(par1, par2);
> 
>   def __init__(self, par1):
>     self.init(par1, None)
> 
>   def init(self, par1, par2):
>      ...
>      ...
> 
> So if the call is with one parameter only the second class is executed
> (calling the 'init' method with the second parameter set to 'None' or
> whatever. But this example does not work. 
> 
> How to get it work?
> 
> Alex
> 

Use a default argument for par2 and check for that in your function:

def __init__(self, par1, par2=None):
    # do something with par1

    if par2 is None:
        print "par2 was not given!"
    else:
        print "par2 is", par2


Read more in the FAQ:
http://www.python.org/doc/faq/programming.html#how-can-i-overload-constructors-or-methods-in-python
or in the tutorial:
http://docs.python.org/tut/node6.html#SECTION006710000000000000000


Bye,
Dennis