10.3. OOP Attributes

10.3.1. Rationale

  • Attributes are also known as "Properties" or "Fields"

  • snake_case name convention

  • Attributes store information (state) for instances

  • Access field values using dot (.) notation

  • Attributes should be defined only in __init__() method

  • More information in OOP Init Method

attribute

Variable inside the class. In Python, methods also can be described as attributes, but justification for that is a bit more complex which will be introduced later in a book.

field

Variable inside the class. Can be used as a synonym of property or state.

property

Variable inside the class. Should not change during lifetime of an object.

state

Variable inside the class. Changes during lifetime of an object. Represents current state of an object.

namespace

Container for storing related data

Class example with distinction of properties and state attributes:

Bucket with Water

    Properties:
        - color
        - width
        - height
        - radius
        - capacity
        - net mass (without water)

    State:
        - volume  (how much water is currently in bucket)
        - gross mass = net mass + water mass (water mass depends on its volume used))
../../_images/bucket.jpg

10.3.2. Syntax

>>> class Astronaut:
...     firstname: str
...     lastname: str
>>>
>>>
>>> astro = Astronaut()
>>> astro.firstname = 'Mark'
>>> astro.lastname = 'Watney'

10.3.3. Dynamic Attributes

Dynamic attributes:

>>> class Astronaut:
...     firstname: str
...     lastname: str
>>>
>>>
>>> jose = Astronaut()
>>> jose.firstname = 'José'
>>> jose.lastname = 'Jiménez'
>>>
>>> print(f'My name... {jose.firstname} {jose.lastname}')
My name... José Jiménez

Accessing not existing attributes:

>>> class Astronaut:
...     firstname: str
...     lastname: str
>>>
>>>
>>> astro = Astronaut()
>>>
>>> print(astro.missions)
Traceback (most recent call last):
AttributeError: 'Astronaut' object has no attribute 'missions'

>>> class Astronaut:
...     name: str
>>>
>>>
>>> mark = Astronaut()
>>> jose = Astronaut()
>>> jose.name = 'José Jiménez'
>>>
>>> print(f'My name... {jose.name}')
My name... José Jiménez
>>> print(f'My name... {mark.name}')
Traceback (most recent call last):
AttributeError: 'Astronaut' object has no attribute 'name'

10.3.4. Namespace

>>> point_x = 1
>>> point_y = 2
>>> point_z = 3
>>>
>>> print(point_x)
1
>>> print(point_y)
2
>>> print(point_z)
3

>>> class Point:
...     x: int
...     y: int
...     z: int
>>>
>>>
>>> point = Point()
>>> point.x = 1
>>> point.y = 2
>>> point.z = 3
>>>
>>> print(point.x)
1
>>> print(point.y)
2
>>> print(point.z)
3

10.3.5. Different Types

>>> class Iris:
...     features: list[float]
...     label: str
>>>
>>>
>>> setosa = Iris()
>>> setosa.features = [5.1, 3.5, 1.4, 0.2]
>>> setosa.label = 'setosa'
>>>
>>> print(setosa.label)
setosa
>>> print(setosa.features)
[5.1, 3.5, 1.4, 0.2]
>>> sum(setosa.features)
10.2

>>> from typing import Union
>>>
>>> class Astronaut:
...     age: Union[float,int]
>>>
>>>
>>> jose = Astronaut()
>>> jose.age = 36
>>>
>>> mark = Astronaut()
>>> mark.age = 42.1

>>> class Astronaut:
...     pass
>>>
>>>
>>> jose = Astronaut()
>>> jose.age = 36
>>>
>>> mark = Astronaut()
>>> mark.age = 42.1

10.3.6. Get All Dynamic Attributes and Values

  • vars(obj)

  • obj.__dict__

  • vars(obj) returns the same as obj.__dict__

Getting dynamic fields and values:

>>> class Iris:
...     sepal_length: float
...     sepal_width: float
...     petal_length: float
...     petal_width: float
...     species: str
>>>
>>>
>>> flower = Iris()
>>> flower.sepal_length = 5.1
>>> flower.sepal_width = 3.5
>>> flower.petal_length = 1.4
>>> flower.petal_width = 0.2
>>> flower.species = 'setosa'
>>>
>>> vars(flower)  # doctest: +NORMALIZE_WHITESPACE
{'sepal_length': 5.1,
 'sepal_width': 3.5,
 'petal_length': 1.4,
 'petal_width': 0.2,
 'species': 'setosa'}

10.3.7. Use Cases

>>> class Laptop:
...     cpu: float
...     ram: int
...     ssd: int
>>>
>>>
>>> macbook = Laptop()
>>> lenovo = Laptop()
>>> hp = Laptop()
>>> asus = Laptop()

>>> class Date:
...     year: int
...     month: int
...     day: int
>>>
>>>
>>> gagarin_launch = Date()
>>> gagarin_launch.year = 1961
>>> gagarin_launch.month = 4
>>> gagarin_launch.day = 12
>>>
>>> armstrong_first_moon_step = Date()
>>> armstrong_first_moon_step.year = 1969
>>> armstrong_first_moon_step.month = 7
>>> armstrong_first_moon_step.day = 21

>>> class Date:
...     year: int
...     month: int
...     day: int
>>>
>>>
>>> class Person:
...     firstname: str
...     lastname: str
...     date_of_birth: Date
...     height: float
...     weight: float

>>> class Astronaut:
...     firstname: str
...     lastname: str
>>>
>>>
>>> watney = Astronaut()
>>> watney.firstname = 'Mark'
>>> watney.lastname = 'Watney'
>>>
>>> lewis = Astronaut()
>>> lewis.firstname = 'Melissa'
>>> lewis.lastname = 'Lewis'
>>> lewis.address = 'Ćwiartki 3/4'
>>>
>>> print(watney.address)
Traceback (most recent call last):
AttributeError: 'Astronaut' object has no attribute 'address'
>>> print(lewis.address)
Ćwiartki 3/4

>>> watney_firstname = 'Mark'
>>> watney_lastname = 'Watney'
>>> watney_mission = 'Ares 3'
>>> watney_agency = 'NASA'
>>>
>>> lewis_firstname = 'Melissa'
>>> lewis_lastname = 'Lewis'
>>> lewis_mission = 'Ares 3'
>>> lewis_agency = 'NASA'

>>> class Astronaut:
...     firstname: str
...     lastname: str
...     mission: str
...     agency: str
>>>
>>>
>>> watney = Astronaut()
>>> watney.firstname = 'Mark'
>>> watney.lastname = 'Watney'
>>> watney.mission = 'Ares 3'
>>> watney.agency = 'NASA'
>>>
>>> lewis = Astronaut()
>>> lewis.firstname = 'Melissa'
>>> lewis.lastname = 'Lewis'
>>> lewis.mission = 'Ares 3'
>>> lewis.agency = 'NASA'
>>>
>>> vars(watney)  # doctest: +NORMALIZE_WHITESPACE
{'firstname': 'Mark',
 'lastname': 'Watney',
 'mission': 'Ares 3',
 'agency': 'NASA'}
>>>
>>> vars(lewis)  # doctest: +NORMALIZE_WHITESPACE
{'firstname': 'Melissa',
 'lastname': 'Lewis',
 'mission': 'Ares 3',
 'agency': 'NASA'}

10.3.8. Assignments

Code 10.6. Solution
"""
* Assignment: OOP Attribute Model
* Complexity: easy
* Lines of code: 15 lines
* Time: 8 min

English:
    1. Use data from "Given" section (see below)
    2. Model the data using classes
    3. How many classes are there?
    4. How many instances are there?
    5. Create instances filling it with data
    6. Compare result with "Tests" section (see below)

Polish:
    1. Użyj danych z sekcji "Given" (patrz poniżej)
    2. Zamodeluj dane za pomocą klas
    3. Ile jest klas?
    4. Ile jest instancji?
    5. Stwórz instancje wypełniając je danymi
    6. Porównaj wyniki z sekcją "Tests" (patrz poniżej)

Tests:
    >>> import sys
    >>> sys.tracebacklimit = 0

    >>> assert isinstance(watney, Astronaut)
    >>> assert isinstance(nasa, SpaceAgency)
    >>> assert 'Watney' in watney.__dict__.values()
    >>> assert 'USA' in watney.__dict__.values()
    >>> assert '1969-07-21' in watney.__dict__.values()
    >>> assert 'NASA' in nasa.__dict__.values()
    >>> assert 'USA' in nasa.__dict__.values()
    >>> assert '1958-07-29' in nasa.__dict__.values()
"""


# Given
"""
Watney, USA, 1969-07-21
NASA, USA, 1958-07-29
"""