How to print a global class variable when calling 'print()' on the class (NOT its instance) and returning a global variable?

Question

I would like to change the output when I call print() on a class (not the instantiation of it!) in Python. I am aware of the __str(self)__ method for instances. I would like to know its "static" equivalent.

class Foo()
    global_var = 2

    # solution code here

print(Foo)

>>> 2

This answer is related but does not answer my question because I have a global variable in my class that should be the print output: How to create a custom string representation for a class object?

EDIT: After a comment I removed the global declaration of the variable and tried to make my problem clearer

That's not a "global class variable". That's just a global variable. It's not part of your class at all. — user2357112, Apr 03 '20 at 21:53
please don't simply re-post the same question as before. It was closed for a reason — juanpa.arrivillaga, Apr 03 '20 at 22:16
the reason it was closed for, this post answering my question: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/4932438/how-to-create-a-custom-string-representation-for-a-class-object, did not answer it in my eyes as I don't want to print some specific string but a variable of my class. There was a prompt to open a new question in this case which I did. I also tried to make the question clearer than in the previous post — deepNdope, Apr 04 '20 at 14:46

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 03 '20 at 22:02

0

  print(Foo.this_is_what_i_need())

Or better yet skip function in your class

    print(Foo.global_var)

answered Apr 03 '20 at 22:02

Pmac1687

9
1

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Apr 03 '20 at 22:08

0

The link you provided (almost) has a solution:

from six import with_metaclass

class _Foo(type):
    global_var = 2
    def __repr__(self):
        return "The global_var is " + str(self.global_var)

class Foo(with_metaclass(_Foo)):
    pass

print(Foo)
# Prints: The global_var is 2

answered Apr 03 '20 at 22:08

RafazZ

4,049
2
20
39

this is not a global variable, and the answer is the same as the link. Also, don't use `six`, python 2 is passed it's official end of life. – juanpa.arrivillaga Apr 03 '20 at 22:18
I never said it was a global variable. The **name** of the variable is `global_var`, just like in the question. Also, I don't think it matters if Py2 is past EoL -- it's a generic answer. – RafazZ Apr 03 '20 at 22:21
Yes, it officially is since the beginning of 2020. – juanpa.arrivillaga Apr 03 '20 at 22:37
Solved my issue, I moved the `global_var` to `Foo` though. – deepNdope Apr 04 '20 at 14:59

How to print a global class variable when calling 'print()' on the class (NOT its instance) and returning a global variable?

2 Answers2