Python From Scratch

Python Arrays, Classes and Objects

Lesson 13 Content
• Python Arrays
• Arrays
• What is an Array?
• Access the Elements of an Array
• The Length of an Array
• Looping Array Elements
• Adding Array Elements
• Removing Array Elements
• Python - Array Methods
• Python - Arrays Exercises

• Python Classes/Objects
• Create a Class
• Create Object
• The __init__() Function
• The __str__() Function
• Object Methods
• The self Parameter
• Modify Object Properties
• Delete Object Properties
• Delete Objects
• The pass Statement
• Python - Classes and Objects Exercises
 Python Arrays
Note: Python does not have built-in support for Arrays, but Python Lists can be used instead.
Arrays
Note: This page shows you how to use LISTS as ARRAYS, however, to work with arrays in Python
you will have to import a library, like the NumPy library.
Arrays are used to store multiple values in one single variable:
Example
Create an array containing car names:
cars = ["Ford", "Volvo", "BMW"]

What is an Array?
An array is a special variable, which can hold more than one value at a time.
If you have a list of items (a list of car names, for example), storing the cars in single variables could
look like this:
car1 = "Ford"
car2 = "Volvo"
car3 = "BMW"

However, what if you want to loop through the cars and find a specific one? And what if you had not 3
cars, but 300?
The solution is an array!
An array can hold many values under a single name, and you can access the values by referring to an
index number.

Access the Elements of an Array

You refer to an array element by referring to the index number.
Example
Get the value of the first array item:
x = cars[0]
Example
Modify the value of the first array item:
cars[0] = "Toyota"

The Length of an Array

Use the len() method to return the length of an array (the number of elements in an array).
Example
Return the number of elements in the cars array:
x = len(cars)
Note: The length of an array is always one more than the highest array index.
Looping Array Elements
You can use the for in loop to loop through all the elements of an array.
Example
Print each item in the cars array:
for x in cars:
print(x)

Adding Array Elements

You can use the append() method to add an element to an array.
Example
Add one more element to the cars array:
cars.append("Honda")

Removing Array Elements

You can use the pop() method to remove an element from the array.
Example
Delete the second element of the cars array:
cars.pop(1)
You can also use the remove() method to remove an element from the array.
Example
Delete the element that has the value "Volvo":
cars.remove("Volvo")
Note: The list's remove() method only removes the first occurrence of the specified value.

Array Methods
Python has a set of built-in methods that you can use on lists/arrays.
Method Description
append() Adds an element at the end of the list
clear() Removes all the elements from the list
copy() Returns a copy of the list
count() Returns the number of elements with the specified value
extend() Add the elements of a list (or any iterable), to the end of the current list
index() Returns the index of the first element with the specified value
insert() Adds an element at the specified position
pop() Removes the element at the specified position
remove() Removes the first item with the specified value
reverse() Reverses the order of the list
sort() Sorts the list
Note: Python does not have built-in support for Arrays, but Python Lists can be used instead.
 Python Classes and Objects
Python Classes/Objects
Python is an object oriented programming language.
Almost everything in Python is an object, with its properties and methods.
A Class is like an object constructor, or a "blueprint" for creating objects.

Create a Class
To create a class, use the keyword class:
Example
Create a class named MyClass, with a property named x:
class MyClass:
x = 5

Create Object
Now we can use the class named MyClass to create objects:
Example
Create an object named p1, and print the value of x:
p1 = MyClass()
print(p1.x)

The __init__() Function

The examples above are classes and objects in their simplest form, and are not really useful in real life
applications.
To understand the meaning of classes we have to understand the built-in __init__() function.
All classes have a function called __init__(), which is always executed when the class is being initiated.
Use the __init__() function to assign values to object properties, or other operations that are necessary
to do when the object is being created:
Example
Create a class named Person, use the __init__() function to assign values for name and age:
class Person:
def __init__(self, name, age):
self.name = name
self.age = age

p1 = Person("John", 36)

print(p1.name)
print(p1.age)

Note: The __init__() function is called automatically every time the class is being used to create a new
object.
The __str__() Function
The __str__() function controls what should be returned when the class object is represented as a string.
If the __str__() function is not set, the string representation of the object is returned:
Example
The string representation of an object WITHOUT the __str__() function:
class Person:
def __init__(self, name, age):
self.name = name
self.age = age

p1 = Person("John", 36)

print(p1)
Example
The string representation of an object WITH the __str__() function:
class Person:
def __init__(self, name, age):
self.name = name
self.age = age

def __str__(self):
return f"{self.name}({self.age})"

p1 = Person("John", 36)

print(p1)

Object Methods
Objects can also contain methods. Methods in objects are functions that belong to the object.
Let us create a method in the Person class:
Example
Insert a function that prints a greeting, and execute it on the p1 object:
class Person:
def __init__(self, name, age):
self.name = name
self.age = age

def myfunc(self):
print("Hello my name is " + self.name)

p1 = Person("John", 36)
p1.myfunc()
Note: The self parameter is a reference to the current instance of the class, and is used to access
variables that belong to the class.
The self Parameter
The self parameter is a reference to the current instance of the class, and is used to access variables that
belongs to the class.
It does not have to be named self , you can call it whatever you like, but it has to be the first parameter
of any function in the class:
Example
Use the words mysillyobject and abc instead of self:
class Person:
def __init__(mysillyobject, name, age):
mysillyobject.name = name
mysillyobject.age = age
def myfunc(abc):
print(“Hello my name is “ + abc.name)
p1 = Person(“John”, 36)
p1.myfunc()

Modify Object Properties

You can modify properties on objects like this:
Example
Set the age of p1 to 40:
p1.age = 40

Delete Object Properties Delete Objects

You can delete properties on objects by using You can delete objects by using
the del keyword: the del keyword:
Example Example
Delete the age property from the p1 object: Delete the p1 object:
del p1.age del p1

The pass Statement

class definitions cannot be empty, but if you for some reason have a class definition with no content, put
in the pass statement to avoid getting an error.
Example
class Person:
pass

Test Yourself With Exercises

Exercise:
Create a class named MyClass:
MyClass:
x = 5