How to Pack and Unpack Arguments in Python
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Contents
In this article, you will learn how to pack and unpack arguments in Python.
Pack and Unpack Arguments
In Python, packing and unpacking arguments can be achieved using the * (asterisk) operator. Here is an overview of how to use the * operator for packing and unpacking arguments:
Packing Arguments
Packing arguments means taking a list or tuple of values and packing them into a single variable. Here is an example of how to pack arguments using the * operator:
def my_function(*args):
for arg in args:
print(arg)
my_function(1, 2, 3)
In this example, the *args parameter in the my_function function indicates that any number of arguments can be passed to the function. When the function is called with my_function(1, 2, 3), the values 1, 2, and 3 are packed into a tuple and assigned to the args parameter.
Unpacking Arguments
Unpacking arguments means taking a sequence of values and unpacking them into individual variables. Here is an example of how to unpack arguments using the * operator:
my_list = [1, 2, 3]
def my_function(a, b, c):
print(a, b, c)
my_function(*my_list)
In this example, the *my_list expression in the function call unpacks the list [1, 2, 3] and assigns the first value to a, the second value to b, and the third value to c. The output of the function call is:
1 2 3
Note that the number of variables in the function parameter list must match the length of the sequence being unpacked, otherwise a TypeError will be raised.