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https://github.com/jendives2000/pcc_exercices_8_12_to_8_14

Exercises from the book Python Crash Course by Eric Matthes. These exercises are about Arbitrary parameters in Functions, including keyword ones.
https://github.com/jendives2000/pcc_exercices_8_12_to_8_14

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Exercises from the book Python Crash Course by Eric Matthes. These exercises are about Arbitrary parameters in Functions, including keyword ones.

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README 

        

# WHAT I LEARNT



This simple project is showing my practice on Python functions, and specifically Positional and Arbitrary parameters/arguments.  

This is my first hands-on experience with these concepts. 



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## Positional & Arbitrary Parameters/Arguments



Now I know what were all these `*args`  I was seeing in all these code examples. Essentially acting as a muliple slots placeholder, `*args` definitely saves coding space.  

The more I learn the more I understand **why Python is better in terms of code density**. 



The hierarchy that Python applies to arguments called in a function is straightforward.  

However, I learnt that when passing a function argument in a function call (meaning as a parameter, when defining it), that **function argument HAS to be last**, as you can see here with `order_number` in my code line 26 in exercise_8_12.py: 



![alt text](image-4.png)



Luckily I tried that a little later after the error message in my output. So **it didn't take long**. 



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## Arbitrary Keyword Parameters/Arguments



Arbitrary Keyword Parameters/Arguments are trickier. The use of a keyword parameter in the fist place is to **add readability by being more specific in the naming of each corresponding keyword argument** being called. 



Using an Arbitrary keyword is tricky because now **one parameter is 'categorizing' every argument** it will be calling. On the other hand, the **added flexibility to call any number of arguments on the fly** is to be considered too. 



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## For loop with a dictionary



Looping through a dictionary is very useful when we** want to print part of or the whole dictionary for reading convenience**.  



The syntax, though, is not your usual "for loop" syntax. Here's what I used in the exercise_8_14.py: `for key, value in car_1.items():`.  

The important parts are: **'key, value'**, that **HAVE to be written as is**. And the  `.items()` method. I forgot to use it in my first go, despite the AI assistant giving it to me. 



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## A Little Extra



I went a little extra mile too for the exercises 8-12 and 8-14.



### For 8-12:  



The instructions were to print out the tuple created by the called function `ordering_sandw(*wanted_items, order_number)`.  

It **wasn't requested to add an order number, but I did it**. For that I just defined a function that adds 1 to an integer type argument (line 19 in exercise_8_12.py):  



![alt text](image-1.png)



And as I reviewed my code over and over again, I discovered that this extra function was not necessary at all. I could just pass the order number as an argument that''l be printed and that's it. 



And also, that is the problem, I did not find a way for it to increment the number without me incrementing it myself by passing the number as an arg. So I decided to remove it (commit 'Removed unnecessary function')

That'll be something to keep my eye on. 



Here's the print out:  



![alt text](image-2.png)



### For 8-14:  



Some of the `**kwargs` that I had to pass to the function **were to have a boolean value**.  

And again, because I wanted to output a better nicer text I made it so that any boolean **value of True becomes a 'Yes' string**. A simple if statement did the trick (line 31 in exercise_8_14.py).  



Here's the print out: 



![alt text](image-3.png)



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## How Well Did I do?



After I compared my code to the solutions: 

- **exercise 8-12**:  

  The **solution code is more mature**. Because my function is actually just a printing-arguments function, which still respects the instructions of the exercise.  

  The **`for loop` used in the solutions and the use of the prints are also better**, the output looks better. So I'll definitely reuse these tricks.  



  GRADE: I'd say pass but without style. 



- **exercise 8-13**:  

  This one was just a reuse of code already available. So no solutions for that one. 



- **exercise 8-14**:

  So in this one, my code is better because the solution code doesn't nicely structure the print.  

  And also, I added a boolean True value conversion to a string, so the print reads a little extra better too (a 'Yes' for wifi is clearer than a 'True'. Not all of us "car buyers" are developers). 



  BUT, **my mistake was to not nest** the `for loop` used for printing out the dictionary in the function itself.  

  This has consequences when we have a project folder structure with imports like it is here in the main.py file. If the function is imported it won't do the not-nested part. 



  GRADE: for this one I suppose I **barely passed, if not barely failed...** depends on how critical my mistake was... 



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#### Resources:

Python Crash Course 3rd Ed.: [solutions to exercises 8-12 to 8-14](https://ehmatthes.github.io/pcc_3e/solutions/chapter_8/#8-12-sandwiches)