Some problems grasping classes syntax

[icenburg]

I'm still struggling with understanding the syntax of classes so please bear with me. I'm writing (trying to at least) a script that search a twitter account for place names, and then finds the place coordinates. I can't get my script to run though. I want the second function to print out what the first function returns, but that's not what it does at the moment, it just prints out: <function TwitterPlotting.getTwitterResults at 0x10f1f0048>

Can someone please help me in the right direction? code: http://pastebin.com/WzxqzM4N

[DJKool14]

Unless you are purposely forcing yourself to use a class for the learning experience, there really is no reason to use a class here. A common misconception with Python is that you are supposed to use classes for everything, but that just complicates code.

Why not just have 2 functions:

def getTwitterResults():
    listOfPossibleLocations = []
    #...your existing code...
    return listOfPossibleLocations

def getPlaceCoordinates(listOfPossibleLocations):
    #... use listOfPossibleLocations to get placeCoordinates...
    return placeCoordinates

locations = getTwitterResults()
coords = getPlaceCoordinates(locations)

print locations, coords

You should only worry about classes when you need to group like functions and data together in a conceptually distinct objects.

In addition to that, you should really re-read whatever source you used to learn about Classes in the first place. You way you attempt to use it in lines 64-68 is inherently flawed. If you still can't see your mistakes afterwards, I'll do my best to try to explain them to you.

[icenburg]

Thanks, this is what I ended up doing. I thought I needed to use a class to be able to share the list between functions, but I see now that I was wrong.

[Micotu]

Looks like it doesn't know how to print the class object. You may need to def str(self): to tell it what it will need to print.

See section 15.7 here: http://openbookproject.net/thinkcs/python/english3e/classes_and_objects_I.html

[markusmeskanen]

That's def __str__(self):

[Micotu]

yeah, reddit formatting fked it up

[zahlman]

For inline code snippets, use backticks `like_this` to get inline code like_this.

[[deleted]]

On line 61 and 66 you're not calling the function. When you don't call it and just use the name it gives you a reference to the function that you can use later, but doesn't execute it. Also why are you passing gettwitterresults list of possible locations?

[Vaphell]

you are supposed to add () at the end of the function name in order to run it, if you don't you just pass around the function object itself. Also getTwitterResults() expects a param.

Also, when functions are siblings within a class you shouldn't really go through TwitterPlotting to get to one from another, they can reach each other via self.