Python __float__() Magic Method

Syntax

object.__float__(x)

The Python __float__() method implements the built-in float() function. So, when you call float(x), Python attempts to call x.__float__(). If the return value is not a float, Python will raise a TypeError. If x.__float__() is not implemented, Python attempts to call x.__index__() first and only if this is not implemented either, it raises a TypeError.

We call this a “Dunder Method” for Double Underscore Method” (also called “magic method”). To get a list of all dunder methods with explanation, check out our dunder cheat sheet article on this blog.

Background float()

Python’s built-in float(value) function converts the argument value to a float number. For example, float('42') converts the string value '42' into the float number 42.0.

Example Custom __float__()

In the following example, you create a custom class Data and overwrite the __float__() magic method so that it returns a float number 42.42 when trying to call float(x) on a custom Data object.

class Data:
    def __float__(self):
        return 42.42


x = Data()
res = float(x) 

print(res)
# 42.42

TypeError: float() argument must be a string or a number, not ‘…’

If you call the float(x) built-in function without defining the __float__() magic method on a given object x, Python will raise a TypeError:

class Data:
    pass


x = Data()
res = float(x)

Output:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Users\xcent\Desktop\code.py", line 6, in <module>
    res = float(x)
TypeError: float() argument must be a string or a number, not 'Data'

To fix this error, define the x.__float__() method for an object x before calling the built-in float(x) method:

class Data:
    def __float__(self):
        return 42.42


x = Data()
res = float(x) 

print(res)
# 42.42

TypeError: Data.__float__ returned non-float (type …)

Consider the following code snippet where you try to return a string, i.e., non-float value, in the dunder method __float__():

class Data:
    def __float__(self):
        return '42.42' # not a float!


x = Data()
res = float(x) 

print(res)

Running this leads to the following error message on my computer:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Users\xcent\Desktop\code.py", line 7, in <module>
    res = float(x)
TypeError: Data.__float__ returned non-float (type str)

The reason for the TypeError: Data.__float__ returned non-float (type ...) error is that the __float__() method must return a float value. So, to resolve the error, return a float value as shown previously:

class Data:
    def __float__(self):
        return 42.42 # This is a float!


x = Data()
res = float(x) 

print(res)
# 42.42

Fallback Method __index__() for float()

If the __float__() method is not defined on an object x on which you call float(x), Python will first attempt to call x.__index__() method to obtain a numeric value that could be automatically converted to a float.

You can see this in the following example where you override the __index__() method by returning 42 but not the __float__() method. The float(x) method still works and returns the result of the __index__() method, i.e., 42.0.

class Data:
    def __index__(self):
        return 42


x = Data()
res = float(x) 

print(res)
# 42.0

References:

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