Behaviour Of Inherited Class Variables In Python Vs Ruby

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        IMHO the way inherited class variables behave in python (and many other languages) makes much more sense than
the unexpected way they get modified on the base class in ruby.

This python code:

class Vehicle:
    ENGINES = 1
    WHEELS = None
    doors = None
    headlights = None
    brakelights = None

    def __init__(self,color=None):
        self.color = color

    def __str__(self):
        return "This %s \t %s    \t has %s engines, %s doors, %s headlights, %s brakelights and %s wheels." % (self.color, self.__class__.__name__, self.ENGINES, self.doors, self.headlights, self.__class__.brakelights, self.WHEELS)

class Car(Vehicle):
    WHEELS = 4
    doors = 4
    headlights = 2
    brakelights = 2

class Motorbike(Vehicle):
    WHEELS = 2
    doors = 0
    headlights = 1
    brakelights = 1

v = Vehicle()
c = Car('red')
m = Motorbike('green')

print v
print c
print m

class Ute(Car):
    WHEELS = 4
    doors = 2

print

u = Ute('blue')

print v
print c
print m
print u

Outputs:

This None        Vehicle         has 1 engines, None doors, None headlights, None brakelights and None wheels.
This red         Car             has 1 engines, 4 doors, 2 headlights, 2 brakelights and 4 wheels.
This green       Motorbike       has 1 engines, 0 doors, 1 headlights, 1 brakelights and 2 wheels.

This None        Vehicle         has 1 engines, None doors, None headlights, None brakelights and None wheels.
This red         Car             has 1 engines, 4 doors, 2 headlights, 2 brakelights and 4 wheels.
This green       Motorbike       has 1 engines, 0 doors, 1 headlights, 1 brakelights and 2 wheels.
This blue        Ute             has 1 engines, 2 doors, 2 headlights, 2 brakelights and 4 wheels.

Where similar code in ruby:

class Vehicle
    ENGINES = 1
    WHEELS = nil
    @@doors = nil   
    @headlights = nil
    class << self; attr_accessor :brakelights end
    @brakelights = nil

    def initialize(color=nil)
        @color = color
    end

    def to_s
        return "This %s   \t %s    \t has %s engines, %s doors, %s headlights, %s brakelights and %s wheels." % [@color, self.class.name, ENGINES, @@doors, @headlights, self.class.brakelights, WHEELS]
    end
end

class Car < Vehicle
    WHEELS = 4
    @@doors = 4
    @headlights = 2
    @brakelights = 2
end

class Motorbike < Vehicle
    WHEELS = 2
    @@doors = 0
    @headlights = 1
    @brakelights = 1
end

v = Vehicle.new()
c = Car.new('red')
m = Motorbike.new('green')

puts v
puts c
puts m

class Ute < Car
    WHEELS = 4
    @@doors = 2
end

puts

u = Ute.new('blue') 

puts v
puts c
puts m
puts u

Outputs:

This             Vehicle         has 1 engines, 0 doors,  headlights,  brakelights and  wheels.
This red         Car             has 1 engines, 0 doors,  headlights, 2 brakelights and  wheels.
This green       Motorbike       has 1 engines, 0 doors,  headlights, 1 brakelights and  wheels.

This             Vehicle         has 1 engines, 2 doors,  headlights,  brakelights and  wheels.
This red         Car             has 1 engines, 2 doors,  headlights, 2 brakelights and  wheels.
This green       Motorbike       has 1 engines, 2 doors,  headlights, 1 brakelights and  wheels.
This blue        Ute             has 1 engines, 2 doors,  headlights,  brakelights and  wheels.

Note 1: The way that the class definitions modify the base classes class variables.
  eg. defining a Car changes the Vehicle's DOORS value from nil to 4, then defining a Motorbike
  changes it from 4 to 0, then defining a Ute changes it again from 4 to 2.
  (IMHO this doesn't make any sense) 

Note 2: The most usable form of class variable in this example was the "brakelights".  It was made
  as an instance variable on the class.  Unfortunately though, in this example the "Ute" class
  doesn't inherit it as you'd expect.
    

Tags:
• class
• comparison
• inherited
• Python
• Ruby
• variables

Comments

Snippets Manager replied on Tue, 2009/03/03 - 10:55am

The python is right at spot for car rental. ruby is a tight choice. indeed make sense! Vehicle outputs for Car Rental in Israel may work even in other lingo DB?

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