Passing a variable name as a parameter to a function in Python

Question

I want to use a function that accepts kwargs, but the argument name is being retrieved from a separate process and is unknown before hand.

For example:

param = 'desired_param'

some_function(desired_param=5)

The problem is that I don't know the content of the param and so have to somehow pass it to some_function.

Is it possible to pass the content of the param to the function with a value?

some_function is not something I defined, so I don't have any control over it.

So based on the TYPE of param you want to pass it to different parameter of the some_function yes? If it's Int then to param_int and if String then to param_str for example? — Jakub Szlaur
– Jakub Szlaur, Commented Jan 21, 2021 at 21:57
I believe your question has the answer in this question:stackoverflow.com/questions/1373164/… — BjkOcean
– BjkOcean, Commented Jan 21, 2021 at 21:58
You can expand dictionary key/values as keyword parameters. d = {'desired_param':5}, some_function(**d). — Mark Tolonen
– Mark Tolonen, Commented Jan 21, 2021 at 21:58
the name of the param is what I need to pass to the function, for example if it's desired_param, call would be some_function(desired_param=5), but if param` is other, call would be some_function(other=5). Does that make sense? — Mehdi Zare
– Mehdi Zare, Commented Jan 21, 2021 at 21:59
@MarkTolonen Awesome! thanks, that's what I was looking for. — Mehdi Zare
– Mehdi Zare, Commented Jan 21, 2021 at 22:01

Mark Tolonen · Accepted Answer · 2021-01-21 22:01:11Z

4

Use keyword expansion:

param = 'desired_param'
d = {param:5}
some_function(**d)

Or even shorter:

param = 'desired_param'
some_function(**{param:5})

answered Jan 21, 2021 at 22:01

Mark Tolonen

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Comments

buran · Accepted Answer · 2021-01-21 22:01:34Z

1

def some_function(**kwargs):
    print(kwargs)

param = 'desired_param'
my_kwargs = {param:5}
some_function(**my_kwargs)

output

{'desired_param': 5}

answered Jan 21, 2021 at 22:01

buran

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