new to python - trouble calling a function from another function

[Brandon McCombs]

Ulrich Eckhardt wrote:
> Brandon McCombs wrote:
>> I'm building an elevator simulator for a class assignment. I recently
>> ran into a roadblock and don't know how to fix it. For some reason, in
>> my checkQueue function below, the call to self.goUp() is never executed.
> [...]
>> sorry about the formatting
> 
> While I can certainly forgive you the formatting (my problem is rather that
> you didn't reduce the code to the smallest possible example

so I missed a few lines, so sue me.

), Python wont.
> Python is a language where whitespace is significant and can subtly change
> the meaning of your code.
> 
> Example:
> 
>> for i in range(0,self.newPassengers):
>> self.passengerList.append(self.passengerWaitQ.pop())
>> self.goUp()
> 
> The formatting here is completely removed, but there are two conceivable
> ways this could be formatted:

already aware. I reformatted tabs to reduce the line wrap so it was 
easier for readers to read it.

> 
> # variant 1
> for i in range(0,self.newPassengers):
>     self.passengerList.append(self.passengerWaitQ.pop())
>     self.goUp()
> 
> #variant 2
> for i in range(0,self.newPassengers):
>     self.passengerList.append(self.passengerWaitQ.pop())
> self.goUp()

either one of those should still execute self.goUp(). I'm not getting 
anything though no matter where I place the function call.

> 
> Someone already mentioned PEP 8 (search the web!). These PEPs could be
> called the standards governing Python behaviour, and PEP 8 actually defines
> several things concerning the formatting of sourcecode. Apply it unless you
> have a good reason not to.
> 
> 
> Further, you should run Python with "-t" as argument on the commandline.
> This will give you warnings when it encounters inconsistent tab/spaces
> usage. This can make a difference.

Yeah I already tried that using 'tabnanny' I think it was called to 
diagnose one function that I decided to create and the -t option gave me 
false information. I determined that I had a tab in front of the 
function name (just like many others) however the actual fix was to put 
in spaces until it lined up with all the other 'def' lines.

> 
> Example:
> 
>     #variant 3
>     for i in range(0,self.newPassengers):
>         self.passengerList.append(self.passengerWaitQ.pop())
> <TAB>self.goUp()
> 
> If your editor is set to four spaces per tab, this will look like variant 2,
> with 8 spaces it will look like variant 1. I don't know (and don't care,
> since PEP-8 mandates four spaces) which interpretation Python actually
> uses.
> 
> 
> Lastly, you can simplify your check_queue() function. First, determine the
> number of free places inside the elevator. Then, you simply append that
> many passengers from the waiting list to the passenger list:
> 
>   free = MAX_CAPACITY - len(self.passengers)
>   new_passengers = self.passenger_wait_queue[:free]
>   self.passenger_wait_queue = self.passenger_wait_queue[free:]
>   self.passengers += new_passengers
> 
> This uses the fact that list indices are automatically truncated to a valid
> range, so requesting the elements 0 to 10 from a 5-element list will only
> yield those five elements, not raise an exception. It's up to you though
> which version is clearer to you. I would perhaps bail out if "free == 0"
> and then also not call go_up() lateron.
> 
> 

so you made other recommendations but didn't address my original 
question unless I missed it somewhere.