Introduction To Python - Learn Python the hard way v2.0

Why do we need to use *args ?

In ex18, we write a function which uses a strange syntax for it's argument.
def print_two(*args):

I think this is used because it packs all the arguments it recieves into the 'args' list. I don't understand, why do we need to do this if Python is weakly typed language? Why not simply use a single variable name to accept all the parameters to that function?

*args

asked Oct 13, 2011

http://twitter.com/ragi_2

0 Answers:

Provide an answer to this question.

This editor supports the markdown format. Please visit this page, If you are not familiar with Markdown.

Recent Course Updates:

http://twitter.com/trukise submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 7: More Printing' ... Apr 13, 2012
http://twitter.com/trukise submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 6: Strings And Text' ... Apr 13, 2012
http://twitter.com/trukise submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 5: More Variables And Printing' ... Apr 13, 2012
http://twitter.com/coding_insights reviewed a response submitted for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 4: Variables And Names' ... Apr 13, 2012
http://twitter.com/trukise submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 4: Variables And Names' ... Apr 13, 2012
http://twitter.com/trukise submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 3: Numbers And Math' ... Apr 12, 2012
http://twitter.com/trukise submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 2: Comments And Pound Characters' ... Apr 12, 2012
http://twitter.com/trukise submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 0: The Setup' ... Apr 12, 2012
http://twitter.com/trukise submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 1: A Good First Program' ... Apr 12, 2012
http://twitter.com/shoaibforu submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 40: Dictionaries, Oh Lovely Dictionaries' ... Jan 29, 2012
http://twitter.com/shoaibforu submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 40: Dictionaries, Oh Lovely Dictionaries' ... Jan 29, 2012
http://twitter.com/shoaibforu submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 39: Doing Things To Lists' ... Jan 8, 2012
http://twitter.com/shoaibforu submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 39: Doing Things To Lists' ... Jan 8, 2012
http://twitter.com/shoaibforu submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 39: Doing Things To Lists' ... Jan 8, 2012
http://twitter.com/shoaibforu submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 36: Designing and Debugging' ... Dec 31, 2011
http://twitter.com/coding_insights provided an answer for question 'This method of calling a superclass constructor does not seem to be working with all versions of Python' ... Dec 17, 2011
http://twitter.com/mikegreenberg provided an answer for question 'This method of calling a superclass constructor does not seem to be working with all versions of Python' ... Dec 16, 2011
http://twitter.com/RajshreeThorat submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 35: Branches and Functions' ... Dec 12, 2011
http://twitter.com/prasadjgd submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 47: Automated Testing' ... Dec 12, 2011
http://twitter.com/prasadjgd submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 46: A Project Skeleton' ... Dec 12, 2011
http://twitter.com/RajshreeThorat submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 33: While Loops' ... Dec 12, 2011
http://twitter.com/RajshreeThorat submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 32: Loops And Lists' ... Dec 12, 2011
http://twitter.com/RajshreeThorat submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 31: Making Decisions' ... Dec 12, 2011
http://twitter.com/RajshreeThorat submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 30: Else And If' ... Dec 12, 2011
http://twitter.com/HarshadaSangale submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 33: While Loops' ... Dec 12, 2011
http://twitter.com/RajshreeThorat submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 29: What If' ... Dec 12, 2011
http://twitter.com/HarshadaSangale submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 32: Loops And Lists' ... Dec 12, 2011
http://twitter.com/HarshadaSangale submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 31: Making Decisions' ... Dec 12, 2011
http://twitter.com/HarshadaSangale submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 30: Else And If' ... Dec 12, 2011
http://twitter.com/HarshadaSangale submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 25: Even More Practice' ... Dec 12, 2011
http://twitter.com/HarshadaSangale submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 25: Even More Practice' ... Dec 12, 2011
http://twitter.com/HarshadaSangale submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 24: More Practice' ... Dec 12, 2011
http://twitter.com/HarshadaSangale submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 35: Branches and Functions' ... Dec 12, 2011
http://twitter.com/coding_insights asked a new question 'This method of calling a superclass constructor does not seem to be working with all versions of Python' ... Dec 8, 2011
http://twitter.com/coding_insights provided an answer for question 'Test question to verify the markdown syntax for code snippets' ... Dec 8, 2011
http://twitter.com/spbirhade submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 3: Numbers And Math' ... Dec 7, 2011
http://twitter.com/spbirhade submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 2: Comments And Pound Characters' ... Dec 7, 2011
http://twitter.com/spbirhade submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 1: A Good First Program' ... Dec 7, 2011
http://twitter.com/spbirhade submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 0: The Setup' ... Dec 7, 2011
http://twitter.com/spbirhade submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 0: The Setup' ... Dec 7, 2011
http://twitter.com/spbirhade reviewed a response submitted for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 41: Gothons From Planet Percal #25' ... Dec 7, 2011
http://twitter.com/prasadjgd submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 45: Is-A, Has-A, Objects, and Classes' ... Dec 2, 2011
http://twitter.com/mahesh_30 submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 22: What Do You Know So Far?' ... Nov 30, 2011
http://twitter.com/HarshadaSangale submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 25: Even More Practice' ... Nov 29, 2011
http://twitter.com/mahesh_30 submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 21: Functions Can Return Something' ... Nov 29, 2011
http://twitter.com/prasadjgd provided an answer for question 'Test question to verify the markdown syntax for code snippets' ... Nov 29, 2011
http://twitter.com/coding_insights asked a new question 'Test question to verify the markdown syntax for code snippets' ... Nov 29, 2011
http://twitter.com/HarshadaSangale submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 24: More Practice' ... Nov 29, 2011
http://twitter.com/prasadjgd submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 42: Gothons Are Getting Classy' ... Nov 28, 2011
http://twitter.com/coding_insights reviewed a response submitted for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 41: Gothons From Planet Percal #25' ... Nov 28, 2011
http://twitter.com/spbirhade reviewed a response submitted for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 41: Gothons From Planet Percal #25' ... Nov 25, 2011
http://twitter.com/truptirandhir submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 0: The Setup' ... Nov 24, 2011
http://twitter.com/prasadjgd asked a new question 'Python code analysis tool.' ... Nov 24, 2011
http://twitter.com/anupshendkar submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 40: Dictionaries, Oh Lovely Dictionaries' ... Nov 24, 2011
http://twitter.com/anupshendkar submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 39: Doing Things To Lists' ... Nov 24, 2011
http://twitter.com/coding_insights submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 1: A Good First Program' ... Nov 24, 2011
http://twitter.com/coding_insights submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 0: The Setup' ... Nov 24, 2011
http://twitter.com/Shrirang_P submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 42: Gothons Are Getting Classy' ... Nov 24, 2011
http://twitter.com/coding_insights reviewed a response submitted for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 36: Designing and Debugging' ... Nov 24, 2011
http://twitter.com/anupshendkar submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 36: Designing and Debugging' ... Nov 24, 2011
http://twitter.com/coding_insights reviewed a response submitted for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 40: Dictionaries, Oh Lovely Dictionaries' ... Nov 24, 2011
http://twitter.com/coding_insights reviewed a response submitted for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 40: Dictionaries, Oh Lovely Dictionaries' ... Nov 24, 2011
http://twitter.com/coding_insights reviewed a response submitted for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 40: Dictionaries, Oh Lovely Dictionaries' ... Nov 24, 2011
http://twitter.com/coding_insights reviewed a response submitted for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 41: Gothons From Planet Percal #25' ... Nov 24, 2011
http://twitter.com/coding_insights reviewed a response submitted for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 41: Gothons From Planet Percal #25' ... Nov 24, 2011
http://twitter.com/coding_insights reviewed a response submitted for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 41: Gothons From Planet Percal #25' ... Nov 24, 2011
http://twitter.com/coding_insights reviewed a response submitted for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 41: Gothons From Planet Percal #25' ... Nov 24, 2011
http://twitter.com/coding_insights reviewed a response submitted for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 42: Gothons Are Getting Classy' ... Nov 24, 2011
http://twitter.com/anupshendkar submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 35: Branches and Functions' ... Nov 23, 2011
http://twitter.com/anupshendkar submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 34: Accessing Elements Of Lists' ... Nov 23, 2011
http://twitter.com/anupshendkar submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 33: While Loops' ... Nov 23, 2011
http://twitter.com/coding_insights reviewed a response submitted for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 40: Dictionaries, Oh Lovely Dictionaries' ... Nov 23, 2011
http://twitter.com/anupshendkar submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 32: Loops And Lists' ... Nov 22, 2011
http://twitter.com/anupshendkar submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 31: Making Decisions' ... Nov 22, 2011
http://twitter.com/prasadjgd reviewed a response submitted for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 39: Doing Things To Lists' ... Nov 22, 2011
http://twitter.com/prasadjgd reviewed a response submitted for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 39: Doing Things To Lists' ... Nov 22, 2011
http://twitter.com/coding_insights reviewed a response submitted for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 40: Dictionaries, Oh Lovely Dictionaries' ... Nov 22, 2011
http://twitter.com/coding_insights reviewed a response submitted for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 39: Doing Things To Lists' ... Nov 22, 2011
http://twitter.com/coding_insights reviewed a response submitted for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 26: Congratulations, Take A Test!' ... Nov 22, 2011
http://twitter.com/mahesh_30 submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 20: Functions And Files' ... Nov 22, 2011
http://twitter.com/mahesh_30 submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 19: Functions And Variables' ... Nov 22, 2011
http://twitter.com/mahesh_30 submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 18: Names, Variables, Code, Functions' ... Nov 22, 2011
http://twitter.com/sangita20 submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 39: Doing Things To Lists' ... Nov 22, 2011
http://twitter.com/sangita20 submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 40: Dictionaries, Oh Lovely Dictionaries' ... Nov 22, 2011
http://twitter.com/mahesh_30 submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 17: More Files' ... Nov 22, 2011
http://twitter.com/mahesh_30 submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 16: Reading And Writing Files' ... Nov 22, 2011
http://twitter.com/prasadjgd provided an answer for question 'what are __functions and how we can use them in classes ?' ... Nov 22, 2011
http://twitter.com/mahesh_30 submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 15: Reading Files' ... Nov 22, 2011
http://twitter.com/mahesh_30 submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 14: Prompting And Passing' ... Nov 22, 2011
http://twitter.com/mahesh_30 submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 13: Parameters, Unpacking, Variables' ... Nov 22, 2011
http://twitter.com/mahesh_30 submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 12: Prompting People' ... Nov 22, 2011
http://twitter.com/mahesh_30 submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 11: Asking Questions' ... Nov 22, 2011
http://twitter.com/swapnil9028 asked a new question 'what are __functions and how we can use them in classes ?' ... Nov 22, 2011
http://twitter.com/mahesh_30 submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 10: What Was That?' ... Nov 21, 2011
http://twitter.com/mahesh_30 submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 8: Printing, Printing' ... Nov 21, 2011
http://twitter.com/mahesh_30 submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 8: Printing, Printing' ... Nov 21, 2011
http://twitter.com/mahesh_30 submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 7: More Printing' ... Nov 21, 2011
http://twitter.com/mahesh_30 submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 6: Strings And Text' ... Nov 21, 2011
http://twitter.com/mahesh_30 submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 5: More Variables And Printing' ... Nov 21, 2011
http://twitter.com/mahesh_30 submitted an activity response for activity 'Activity for - LPTHW Exercise 4: Variables And Names' ... Nov 21, 2011