# python closures close over variables, not values
funcs = []
for i in range(4): # `i` is actually created at the top of the enclosing function, only once
# `i` has a new value assigned to it here
def f():
# Each incarnation of this function closes over the SAME VARIABLE, `i`
print i
funcs.append(f)
for f in funcs:
f()
# prints 4 times 3
# SOLUTION 1
# factory function, because python scopes over functions
def make_f(i):
def f():
print i
return f
funcs = []
for i in range(4):
funcs.append(make_f(i))
# SOLUTION 2
# default values, because they are bound by value to the function
# just once the function is defined
# It is the same problem of the mutable argument f(a={}) or f(a=[]) which is going to be always the same
funcs = []
for i in range(4):
def f(i=i):
print i
funcs.append(f)