Python: NameError: global name 'foobar' is not defined

Question

I have written the following class:

class myClass(object):
    def __init__(self):
        pass

    def foo(self, arg1, arg2):
        pp = foobar(self, arg1, arg2)
        if pp:
            return 42
        else
            return -666


    def foobar(self, arg1, arg2):
        if arg1 == arg2:
            return 42
        else:
            return None

The logic is nonsensical - ignore it. What I am trying to so is to call an instance method from another instance method - and I am getting a NameError. I originally thought that this was due to foo() calling foobar() before it had been defined - but switching the order of the function definitions in the script made no difference.

Does anyone what's causing this error, and how to fix it?

Glenn Maynard · Accepted Answer · 2010-11-01T12:31:28.903

53

Python doesn't scope code to the local class automatically; you need to tell it to.

pp = self.foobar(arg1, arg2)

http://docs.python.org/tutorial/classes.html

edited Nov 01 '10 at 12:31

answered Nov 01 '10 at 12:21

Glenn Maynard

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2

you mean : __pp = self.foobar(arg1, arg2)__ ? – mouad Nov 01 '10 at 12:27
1

@Glenn: Thanks. I suspected it was a scoping issue. Thanks for the link as well. time to RTFM I suppose! – skyeagle Nov 01 '10 at 12:27
singularity: Actually, you're right it should be self.foobar(arg1, arg2). Thanks for pointing that out – skyeagle Nov 01 '10 at 12:29
@singularity: (Of course, though the link was more the point...) – Glenn Maynard Nov 01 '10 at 12:32
@skyeagle: Using 2.6.4 on Windows, I get a "TypeError: foobar() takes exactly 3 arguments (4 given)" if I use self.foobar(self,arg1, arg2). – GreenMatt Nov 01 '10 at 12:33
adding `self` as first argument is actual for call parent class methods from child method – seriyPS Nov 01 '10 at 12:39
@seriyPS: Err, no. That's what `super` is for. – Glenn Maynard Nov 01 '10 at 13:15
@GreenMatt see this: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4743673/python-typeerror-takes-exactly-1-argument-2-given – sami Feb 17 '12 at 13:04

Python: NameError: global name 'foobar' is not defined

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