If else based on existence of python function optional arguments

Question

I have written a function as follows, with optional argument 'b'.

url depends on the existence of b.

def something(a, b=None)
    if len(b) >= 1:
        url = 'http://www.xyz.com/%sand%s' % (a, b)
    else:
        url = 'http://www.xyz.com/%s' (a)

This raises an error when b=None, saying "object of type 'none-type' has no length"

Any ideas how to get around this?

Answer 1

You can try this code:

def something(a, *b):
    if len(b) == 0:
        print('Equivalent to calling: something(a)')
    else:
        print('Both a and b variables are present')

Answer 2

You can simply use if b: - this will require the value to be both not None and not an empty string/list/whatever.

Answer 3

You can simply change -

def something(a, b=None)

to -

def something(a, b="")