Python: Ordering arguments

Question

a,b,*c,d = 1,2,3
>>> c
[]
>>> d
3

If formal positional arguments should precede *args (as many tutorials state) why does the code above generates the value of 3 for positional argument “c”?

Answer 1

>>> a,b,*c,d = 1,2,3
>>> a,b,c,d -> (1, 2, [], 3)

>>> a,b,*c,d = 1,2,3,4
>>> a,b,c,d -> (1, 2, [3], 4)

>>> a,b,*c,d = 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8
>>> a,b,c,d -> (1, 2, [3, 4, 5, 6, 7], 8)

As you can see, first of all the regular vars are filled with parameters, if n of arguments < n of vars. If n of arguments are >= to n of variables, also *c will be filled.

Answer 2

Lothar Thank you, Lothar. Your examples are great.

What I don’t understand that also SoloLearn Python course states that *args must come after positional parameters.

However, this code still works even *arg is in the first position:

>>> *a,b,c,d = 1,2,3
>>> a
[]
>>> b
1
>>> c
2
>>> d
3

So order is not important at all?