[Tutor] why "self" in methods?

[orbitz at ezabel.com]

Python is very explicit about many things.  In C++ or Java the 'self' (called
this) is implicit, with python you explicitly give the name, as the first
parameter of your class's method, that you can access the class from. The
tutorial covers this concept. Read
http://www.python.org/doc/current/tut/node11.html

Also in the case of our fictional class Foo, something like:
bar = Foo()
bar.doIt()

Really can be interpreted as
bar = Foo()
Foo.doIt(bar)

Those two statements are synonymous, hope that helps somewhat.


On Sat, 03 Apr 2004 17:52:27 -0900
Chris Lott <chris at chrislott.org> wrote:

> Why do object methods need the (self) parameter rather than just 
> accepting () as a function can? I mean, given:
> 
> class Foo:
> 	def doIt(self):
> 		print "did it"
> 
> why couldn't it be:
> 	def doIt():
> 
> c
> --
> Chris Lott
> http://www.chrislott.org/
> 
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