Can you generate new self names inside a class? - python-3.x

Question

Trying to figure out how to use a function to generate new self named variables inside a class.
I've played around with it in IDLE, and searched online docs. Solution is alluding me.
>>> import random
>>> abc = [(map(chr,range(ord('A'),ord('Z')+1)))+(map(chr,range(ord('a'),ord('z')+1)))]
>>> class Test():
def __init__(self, abc):
self.a = 0
self.abc = abc
def newSelf(self):
for i in range(2):
b = random.choice(abc)
c = random.choice(abc)
globals()['self.'+b+c] = 0
#or
locals()['self.'+b+c] = 0
print(b+c,0)
>>> example = Test(abc)
>>> example.a
0
>>> example.newSelf() #say it generates
An 0
ze 0
>>> example.An #calling new self variable of example object returns
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<pyshell#221>", line 1, in <module>
example.An
AttributeError: 'Test' object has no attribute 'An'
# I'm hoping for...
>>> example.An
0

Answer 1

Using setattr:
You can use setattr to set the new attribute:
>>> class Test():
... def __init__(self, abc):
... self.a = 0
... self.abc = abc
... def newSelf(self):
... for i in range(2):
... b = random.choice(abc)
... c = random.choice(abc)
... setattr(self, b+c, 0)
... print(b+c,0)
And the attribute will again be available:
>>> example = Test(abc)
>>> example.newSelf()
zM 0
Ja 0
>>> example.zM
0
>>> example.Ja
0
Using exec:
You can use exec function to execute a python statement stored in a string. As, you are generating the variable name randomly, you can create the whole python statement in a string, and execute that statement using exec like below:
>>> class Test():
... def __init__(self, abc):
... self.a = 0
... self.abc = abc
... def newSelf(self):
... for i in range(2):
... b = random.choice(abc)
... c = random.choice(abc)
... exec('self.'+b+c+' = 0')
... print(b+c,0)
Here, I have created the new attribute using exec('self.'+b+c+' = 0'). Now, after calling this method, the attribute will be available:
>>> example = Test(abc)
>>> example.newSelf()
Tw 0
Xt 0
>>> example.Tw
0
>>> example.Xt
0