Is it possible to modify variable in python that is in outer, but not global, scope?

Question

Given following code:

def A() :
    b = 1

    def B() :
        # I can access \'b\' from here.
        print( b )
        # But can i modify \'b\' here? \'         


        

Answer 1

I don't know if there is an attribute of a function that gives the __dict__ of the outer space of the function when this outer space isn't the global space == the module, which is the case when the function is a nested function, in Python 3.

But in Python 2, as far as I know, there isn't such an attribute.

So the only possibilities to do what you want is:

1) using a mutable object, as said by others

2)

def A() :
    b = 1
    print 'b before B() ==', b

    def B() :
        b = 10
        print 'b ==', b
        return b

    b = B()
    print 'b after B() ==', b

A()

result

b before B() == 1
b == 10
b after B() == 10

.

Nota

The solution of Cédric Julien has a drawback:

def A() :
    global b # N1
    b = 1
    print '   b in function B before executing C() :', b

    def B() :
        global b # N2
        print '     b in function B before assigning b = 2 :', b
        b = 2
        print '     b in function B after  assigning b = 2 :', b

    B()
    print '   b in function A , after execution of B()', b

b = 450
print 'global b , before execution of A() :', b
A()
print 'global b , after execution of A() :', b

result

global b , before execution of A() : 450
   b in function B before executing B() : 1
     b in function B before assigning b = 2 : 1
     b in function B after  assigning b = 2 : 2
   b in function A , after execution of B() 2
global b , after execution of A() : 2

The global b after execution of A() has been modified and it may be not whished so

That's the case only if there is an object with identifier b in the global namespace