Closure/method definition question for Python 2.7

[Brunick, Gerard:(Constellation)]

The following code:

---
class Test(object):
x = 10

def __init__(self):
self.y = x

t = Test()
---

raises

NameError: global name 'x' is not defined.

in Python 2.7. I don't understand why. I would assume that when __init__ is being defined, it is just a regular old function and x is a variable in an outer scope, so the function __init__ would close over the variable x. Moreover, the variable x is not being modified, so this should be O.K. Forexample, the following is fine (if nonsensical):

---
def outer():
x = 10

def __init__(self):
self.y = x

return __init__

t = outer()
print t
---

Can anyone explain this behavior? It is clear that you could simply use self.x to access the variable x inside of __init__, but this isn't really thepoint of the question.

Thanks in advance,
Gerard

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[Marko Rauhamaa]

class Test(object):
x = 10

def __init__(self):
self.y = x

t = Test()
---

raises

NameError: global name 'x' is not defined.

In the snippet, x is neither local to __init__() nor global to the
module. It is in the class scope. You can refer to it in one of two
ways:

Test.x

or:

self.x


Marko

 

[Neil Cerutti]

In the snippet, x is neither local to __init__() nor global to
the module. It is in the class scope. You can refer to it in
one of two ways:

Test.x

or:

self.x

The latter will work only to read the class variable. If you
assign to self.x you'll create a new instance variable that hides
the class variable.