str function not returning a string, but instead the instance?

Question

I've looked through many different forum posts and have tried a bunch of different techniques, but I have not figured out how to get my str function to return a string ' ' rather than having no quotations.

My Code:

class Comment:
    def __init__(self,commenterName, content):
        self.name = commenterName
        self.content = content

    def __str__(self):
        return str('%s: %s' %(self.name, self.content))

From what I understand if I am accompanying my return value in my str function with str() it should return the string value.

Instead...:

>>>Comment("lol","lol")
<__main__.Comment object at 0x000000000354CF60>

I need to specifically return the value as a string rather than print it, that I know.

I am trying to get the output:

 "lol": "lol"

but the best I have managed is a:

  lol: lol

I have been working on this exact little problem for quite sometime and cannot figure out what I am doing wrong. Thank you for help in advance :D

P.S. I am trying to use

 Comment(commenterName,content)

in the terminal so that it returns the value

 'commenterName: content'

I'm trying to achieve this without using the print() command in the terminal as well as not using the str() command in the terminal. In my python file however, it is fine, I just need to return the value in some way. I hope this isn't too much of a repost, as I said I have tried to find the solutions, but I can't quite get them to work..

pressing enter on your terminal will invoke the objects `__repr__`, not its `__str__`; use `print(Comment("lol", "lol"))`. — Dimitris Fasarakis Hilliard, Dec 14 '16 at 20:41
How would I implement __repr__ so I could run Comment(name,content) in the terminal and receive and output of 'name: content'? — CoopStad, Dec 14 '16 at 20:48
in your class assign `__repr__ = __str__` after the definition of `__str__`. — Dimitris Fasarakis Hilliard, Dec 14 '16 at 20:53
After doing that, I am able to get the output of commenterName: content How do I get that surrounded by quotations now? — CoopStad, Dec 14 '16 at 20:56
Thank you very much! I don't believe I am able to upvote your or leave a positive rating since you commented, but if I can, let me know and I will. You have been a great help! — CoopStad, Dec 14 '16 at 21:03

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Dec 14 '16 at 20:41

0

You need to call the __str__ function. Try

my_var = Comment('name', 'content') print(str(my_var)) print('My message is: %s'.format(my_var)

answered Dec 14 '16 at 20:41

Have_Mercy

144
1
8

Is there a way to do this without typing extra code in the terminal? For example can I just run Comment(name,content) and get returned a string that says 'name: output'? – CoopStad Dec 14 '16 at 20:47
Well, if you don't need to hold the variables and you just want to print those values, you could create a function that prints them. Otherwise, your best bet is `print(Comment('name', 'content'))` – Have_Mercy Dec 16 '16 at 21:27

__str__ function not returning a string, but instead the instance?

1 Answers1

str function not returning a string, but instead the instance?