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4.7.4 Unpacking Argument Lists

The reverse situation occurs when the arguments are already in a list or tuple but need to be unpacked for a function call requiring separate positional arguments. For instance, the built-in range() function expects separate start and stop arguments. If they are not available separately, write the function call with the *-operator to unpack the arguments out of a list or tuple:

    >>> range(3, 6)   # normal call with separate arguments
    [3, 4, 5]
    >>> args = [3, 6]
    >>> range(*args)  # call with arguments unpacked from list
    [3, 4, 5]

In the same fashion, dictionaries can deliver keyword arguments with the **-operator:

    >>> def parrot(voltage, state='a stiff', action='voom'):
    ...     print "-- This parrot wouldn't", action,
    ...     print "if you put", voltage, "volts through it.",
    ...     print "E's", state, "!"
    ...
    >>> d = {"voltage": "four million",
              "state": "bleedin' demised",
              "action": "VOOM"}
    >>> parrot(**d)
    -- This parrot wouldn't VOOM if you put four million
     volts through it. E's bleedin' demised !