Accessing super(parent) class variable in python

user_5766927 0
Viewed 10983

I am new to python. Im trying to access the parent class variable in child class using super() method but it throws error "no arguments". Accessing class variable using class name works but i like to know whether it is possible to access them using super() method.

class Parent(object):
        __props__ = (
            ('a', str, 'a var'),
            ('b', int, 'b var')
        )

        def __init__(self):
            self.test = 'foo'

class Child(Parent):
    __props__ = super().__props__ + (
        ('c', str, 'foo'),
    ) # Parent.__props__


    def __init__(self):
        super().__init__()

Error:

    __props__ = super().__props__ + (
RuntimeError: super(): no arguments
python-3.x class python
5 Answers

You could define an __init_subclass__ method of the Parent class that initializes Child.__props__. This method is called every time a subclass of of Parent is created, and we can use it to modify the __props__ that class inherits with an optional __props__ argument passed as part of the class definition. 

class Parent:
    __props__ = (('a', str, 'a var'), ('b', int, 'b var'))
    def __init_subclass__(cls, __props__=(), **kwargs):
        super().__init_subclass__(**kwargs)
        cls.__props__ = cls.__props__ + __props__

class Child(Parent, __props__=(('c', str, 'foo'),)):
    pass

print(Child.__props__)
# (('a', <class 'str'>, 'a var'), ('b', <class 'int'>, 'b var'), ('c', <class 'str'>, 'foo'))

class GrandChild(Child, __props__=(('d', float, 'd var'),)):
    pass

print(GrandChild.__props__)
# (('a', <class 'str'>, 'a var'), ('b', <class 'int'>, 'b var'), 
#  ('c', <class 'str'>, 'foo'), ('d', <class 'float'>, 'd var'))
user_67793070

super helps you get the parent class when you have an instance of it. As far as I know, there's no easy way to do this at the class level without an instance, like you're trying to do. The only way I could think of to do this is to refer to the parent class explicitly:

class Child(Parent):
    __props__ = Parent.__props__ + ...

To clarify a bit further, there's two basic problems:

  • super() is syntactic sugar for super(Child, self), or more generally, super(type(self), self). Since there is no self where you're using it, it doesn't make sense.
  • Even the class Child doesn't exist at the point that super() is getting called. It's still in the process of being defined, and so it would be invalid syntax to even have super(Child, self) (go ahead and try it, I can wait), because Child isn't a thing yet.

As such, you'll need to explicitly refer to the parent class, like I show above.

user_24213910

A bit late to the party but this is a job for metaclasses:

class Parent(object):
    __props__ = (
        ('a', str, 'a var'),
        ('b', int, 'b var')
    )

    def __init__(self):
        self.test = 'foo'

class AddPropsMeta(type):
    def __init__(cls, name, bases, attrs):
        cls.__props__ = sum((base.__props__ for base in bases), ()) + cls.__props__
        super().__init__(name, bases, attrs)

class Child(Parent, metaclass=AddPropsMeta):
    __props__ = (
        ('c', str, 'foo'),
    )

>>> Child.__props__
(('a', str, 'a var'), ('b', int, 'b var'), ('c', str, 'foo'))
user_81649580

You can use the __new__ method to change attributes of the parent class. 

class Parent(object):
    __props__ = (
        ('a', str, 'a var'),
        ('b', int, 'b var')
    )

    def __init__(self):
        self.test = 'foo'


class Child(Parent):

    def __new__(cls, *args, **kwargs):
        parent = super(Child, cls)
        cls.__props__ = parent.__props__ + (('c', str, 'foo'),)
        return super(Child, cls).__new__(cls, *args, **kwargs)

p = Parent
print(p.__props__)
c = Child()
print(c.__props__)

Output:

(('a', <type 'str'>, 'a var'), ('b', <type 'int'>, 'b var'))
(('a', <type 'str'>, 'a var'), ('b', <type 'int'>, 'b var'), ('c', <type 'str'>, 'foo'))

At the same time be aware of this:

print(p.__props__)
c = Child
print(c.__props__)
c = Child()
print(c.__props__)
c = Child
print(c.__props__)

Output:

(('a', <type 'str'>, 'a var'), ('b', <type 'int'>, 'b var'))
(('a', <type 'str'>, 'a var'), ('b', <type 'int'>, 'b var'))
(('a', <type 'str'>, 'a var'), ('b', <type 'int'>, 'b var'), ('c', <type 'str'>, 'foo'))
(('a', <type 'str'>, 'a var'), ('b', <type 'int'>, 'b var'), ('c', <type 'str'>, 'foo'))

The __props__ will change only after the first instantiation of your Child class.

user_95427630

Your mistake is you write the super you use the Parent class name only.

class Parent:
        __props__ = (
            ('a', str, 'a var'),
            ('b', int, 'b var')
        )

    def __init__(self):
        self.test = 'foo'


class Child(Parent):
    __props__ = Parent.__props__ + (
        ('c', str, 'foo'),
    ) # Parent.__props__


    def __init__(self):
        Parent.__init__()

Hope It's useful. Thank you.

user_98338890
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