Default param and Variable parameters in python

Question

Following is my function :

def compare(a, b, key=None,*arg2):
    print(a,b,key)

So in this how do we call the function without specifying value for the key, but providing value for the arg2 tuple...

Thanks.

Possible duplicate of [What does \*\* (double star) and \* (star) do for parameters?](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/36901/what-does-double-star-and-star-do-for-parameters) — Peter Wood, Jun 08 '17 at 07:17

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Jun 08 '17 at 07:12

0

If I am not wrong You want to pass default value of variable key. If so you can change the order of the variables. like this

def compare(a, b,*arg2,key=None):
    print(a,b,key,arg2)

compare(2,3,12,134,135,35,4567647,67865)
#output: 2 3 None (12, 134, 135, 35, 4567647, 67865)

answered Jun 08 '17 at 07:12

Nandish Patel

116
13

Thanks! This seems to work in case I do not want to send the key value... but what if i want to pass the value? I mean, in some cases i do not want to pass, and in some use cases i would want to pass the 'key' value explicitly. – Narasimhan Jun 08 '17 at 12:06
so you don't want to pass default value, then i am afraid i don't have any way to do that man.sorry:( – Nandish Patel Jun 10 '17 at 15:55

Default param and Variable parameters in python

1 Answers1