Python: possible to call static method from within class without qualifying the name

Question

This is annoying:

class MyClass:
    @staticmethod
    def foo():
        print "hi"

    @staticmethod
    def bar():
        MyClass.foo()

Is there a way to make this work without naming MyClass in the call? i.e. so I can just say foo() on the last line?

Asked By: Sideshow Bob

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Source

Answer 1

There is no way to use foo and get what you want. There is no implicit class scope, so foo is either a local or a global, neither of which you want.

You might find classmethods more useful:

class MyClass:
    @classmethod
    def foo(cls):
        print "hi"

    @classmethod
    def bar(cls):
        cls.foo()

This way, at least you don’t have to repeat the name of the class.

Answered By: Ned Batchelder

Answer 2

Not possible. It is a question of language design. Compare that to C++, where both this (the same as Python self; in Python you have to write self.var, in C++ you may write just var, not this->var) and own class are used by default in member functions, and you will probably see that sometimes that’s good and sometimes that’s annoying. The only thing possible is to get used to that feature.

Answered By: Ellioh

Answer 3

You can do something hacky by making a module level function foo and then adding it to the class namespace with staticmethod:

def foo():
    print "hi"

class MyClass(object):
    foo = staticmethod(foo)

    @classmethod
    def bar(cls):
        return cls.foo()

    def baz(self):
        return foo()


c = MyClass()
c.bar()
c.baz()

MyClass.bar()
MyClass.foo()

Answered By: mgilson

Answer 4

You ‘variable-ize’ the class name. This will not remove, but shorten the name.

class MyClass:
    @staticmethod
    def foo():
        print "hi"

    @staticmethod
    def bar():
        c.foo()

c = MyClass

Answered By: DarkTrick

Python: possible to call static method from within class without qualifying the name

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