documentation / reference help

[Benjamin Kaplan]

On Jan 25, 2011 1:19 PM, "Craig Leffel" <cralef at earthlink.net> wrote:
>
> Where does it return the value to?
>
> What do I need to put in the calling function so that I can use that
value?
> I need a variable name to refer to. Shouldn't I have to define that
variable
> someplace?
>

Python functions are like mathematical functions. The function call itself
evaluates to a value (whatever is returned) which can be stored to a
variable.

y = f(x)

You can even use the result without directly storing it in a variable.

print f(g(x))


> "Littlefield, Tyler" <tyler at tysdomain.com> wrote in message
> news:mailman.1103.1295811520.6505.python-list at python.org...
> > The return value simply returns a value to the calling function, which
the
> > function can handle, however it wants. so: for example
> > def add(a, b):
> >   return (a+b)
> >
> > That simply returns the value a+b, which you can use however you like,
> > like so: i=add(2,3) will assign the return value to add.
> >
> > I recommend you check out the tutorial on python.org, which explains all
> > of this; the documentation does not need updating, at least not in that
> > respect.
> > On 1/23/2011 11:41 AM, Scott Meup wrote:
> >> I'm trying tolearn Python.  The documentation tells syntax, and other
> >> things
> >> about a command.  But for too many commands, it doesn't tell what it
> >> does.
> >> for instance, in VB the 'return' command tells the program what line to
> >> execute after some event (usually an error). In Python it appears to
> >> return
> >> a value.  Where does it return it to?  I couldn't find anywhere on the
> >> Python website to find out or to ask Python to upgrade their
> >> documentation.
> >> Can somebody please recommend a source.
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> > --
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Ty
> >
>
>
>
> --
> http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
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