Finding the instance reference of an object
Joe Strout
joe at strout.net
Mon Nov 3 15:44:15 EST 2008
On Nov 3, 2008, at 12:00 PM, Aaron Brady wrote:
> I think we can conclude that Python passes by reference, since a
> function can modify objects that were passed in to it.
Then please write the Python equivalent of the "Swap" methods shown at
<http://www.strout.net/info/coding/valref/> (or at <http://javadude.com/articles/passbyvalue.htm
>, for that matter).
And no fair wrapping the two parameters up in an object or using tuple
packing/unpacking -- the point is to demonstrate that you can change
the two parameters themselves, not some object that contains them or
return them a different order.
And by the way, if mutating an object a parameter refers to qualifies
as pass by reference, then Java, VB.NET/REALbasic (in ByVal mode), and
C/C++ all pass by reference too. That'll be quite a surprise to their
compiler authors! (I should know, as I'm one of them.)
Best,
- Joe
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