How to get a variable from a function in python

Question

def checkQuota(candidateX_Votes, candidateX_Won):
    quota = int((validVotesCast / (seatsAvaliable + 1)) + 1)

    if candidateX_Votes < quota:
        candidateX_Won = False
        return candidateX_Won

    elif candidateX_Votes >= quota:
        candidateX_Won = True
        return candidateX_Won

The goal is to have the value of either true or false set as the variable that is put into the function, for example, if I do checkQuota(candidateA_Votes, candidateA_Won) I should be able to use candidateA_Won later on where it is either assigned the value of true or false.

Why are you passing candidateX_Won into the function if you are also using it as the return value? — John Gordon
– John Gordon, Commented Oct 1, 2018 at 22:55

Arnav Borborah · Accepted Answer · 2018-10-01 23:00:10Z

1

Since you don't actually use candidateA_Won as a parameter, I would recommend you refactor to instead just return the value you want and store that in an external variable, as follows:

def checkQuota(candidateX_Votes): # Get rid of the parameter
    quota = int((validVotesCast / (seatsAvaliable + 1)) + 1)

    if candidateX_Votes < quota:
        candidateX_Won = False
        return candidateX_Won

    elif candidateX_Votes >= quota:
        candidateX_Won = True
        return candidateX_Won

Then, you can use the function as follows:

candidateX_Won = checkQuota(candidateX_Votes) # Without having to pass in a variable

In fact you can even simplify the function above to:

def checkQuota(candidateX_Votes):
    return not (candidateX_Votes < int((validVotesCast / (seatsAvaliable + 1)) + 1))

answered Oct 1, 2018 at 23:00

Arnav Borborah

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Comments

Oleksandr Dashkov · Accepted Answer · 2018-10-01 23:07:31Z

0

your variable candidateX_Won is local in the function scope. When you assign a True or False you change a local variable instead of the original one. To get the result you want, you can use this example:

def checkQuota(candidate_x_votes):
    # here you calculate/get validVotesCast and seatsAvaliable
    quota = int((validVotesCast / (seatsAvaliable + 1)) + 1)
    return not (candidate_x_votes < quota)  # this will return True or False

# and after that you can use your function
candidateX_Votes = 12 # for example 
candidateX_Won = checkQuota(candidateX_Votes)

answered Oct 1, 2018 at 23:07

Oleksandr Dashkov

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