Python function refactoring

Question

I need help with refactoring my program. I have a function that I am calling in two programs. In one program i just need the overtimeAmount, and in the other program I need all three variables returned. How can I refactor this two only return the variables i need for the program.

def OT2(hours, rate):

     if hours > 160.0:

         overtimeHours = hours - 160.0

         overtimeRate = rate * 1.05

         overtimeAmount = overtimeHours * overtimeRate

     else:

         overtimeAmount = 0.0

         overtimeRate = 0.0

         overtimeHours = 0.0

     return overtimeHours, overtimeRate, overtimeAmount

Ｗhy don't you just use _ to omit the variable, such as _, _, amount = OT(h,r). Or you could add third argument to the function such as OT2(hours, rate, mode) — UMR
– UMR, Commented Apr 29, 2021 at 16:47
It's pretty simple, split this into three functions. The namedtuple module could also give some improvements. PEP8 would also help, OT2 looks like a constant, not a function. — Ulrich Eckhardt
– Ulrich Eckhardt, Commented Apr 29, 2021 at 16:57

Daniel Lenz · Accepted Answer · 2021-04-29 18:58:00Z

2

Instead of having one function that does two things, use two functions. That'll go a long way in terms of maintainability and follows the Unix philosophy of doing one thing well:

def get_overtime_hours(hours):
  return max(0, hours - 160)


def get_overtime_info(hours, rate):
  overtime_hours = get_overtime_hours(hours)

  if overtime_hours > 0:
     overtime_rate = rate * 1.05
     overtime_amount = overtime_hours * overtime_rate
   else:
     overtime_amount = 0.0
     overtime_rate = 0.0

  return overtime_hours, overtime_rate, overtime_amount

edited Apr 29, 2021 at 18:58

answered Apr 29, 2021 at 18:11

Daniel Lenz

3,9371 gold badge22 silver badges37 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

Comments

ti7 · Accepted Answer · 2021-04-29 16:53:41Z

1

It's good advice to never return a variable amount of results because it makes your function unpredictable; instead, either

always return the same number, (potentially making unused values None) and let the caller pick what to keep
return a dictionary (one result)

PEP 8 has some words about this in Be consistent in return statements, but doesn't explicitly cover your case

Be consistent in return statements. Either all return statements in a function should return an expression, or none of them should. If any return statement returns an expression, any return statements where no value is returned should explicitly state this as return None, and an explicit return statement should be present at the end of the function (if reachable) [..]

edited Apr 29, 2021 at 16:53

answered Apr 29, 2021 at 16:48

ti7

19.9k8 gold badges50 silver badges87 bronze badges

Comments

Code-Apprentice · Accepted Answer · 2021-04-29 16:46:56Z

0

One possibility is to add a third parameter to indicate what you want returned and then an if statement to decide what to return. That doesn't seem any cleaner than just returning all 3 values and ignoring the ones you don't want.

answered Apr 29, 2021 at 16:46

Code-Apprentice

84k26 gold badges162 silver badges289 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Python function refactoring

3 Answers 3

Comments

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

3 Answers 3

Comments

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related