Question

Python refactoring

Both the add and sub are very similar. How does one re-factor code like this? The logic is basically inverse of each other.

class point(object):

      def __init__( self, x, y ):
          self.x, self.y = x, y

      def add( self, p ):
          x = self.x + p.x
          y = self.y + p.y
          return point( x, y )

      def sub( self, p ):
          x = self.x - p.x
          y = self.y - p.y
          return point( x, y )

Answer 1

First, standard practice is to capitalize classes (so Point, not point). I’d make use of the __add__ and __sub__ (and possibly __iadd__ and __isub__) methods, as well. A first cut might look like this:

class Point(object):
    def __init__(self, x, y):
        self.x = x
        self.y = y

    def __add__(self, p):
        return Point(self.x + p.x, self.y + p.y)

    def __sub__(self, p):
        return Point(self.x - p.x, self.y - p.y)

I know you’re looking to pull the logic out into a single method, something like:

class Point(object):
    def __init__(self, x, y):
        self.x = x
        self.y = y

    def _adjust(self, x, y):
        return Point(self.x + x, self.y + y)

    def __add__(self, p):
        return self._adjust(p.x, p.y)

    def __sub__(self, p):
        return self._adjust(-p.x, -p.y)

… but that seems more complicated, without much gain.