Python-calling method outside of class

Question

I come from ruby/C# and am new to Python.

I'm looking at the following code:

def raiseFlag():
    global flag
    flag = 1

class TermStructureTest():

    def testImpliedObs(self):
        global flag
        flag = None
        h = RelinkableYieldTermStructureHandle()
        settlement = self.termStructure.referenceDate()
        new_settlement = self.calendar.advance(settlement,3,Years)
        implied = ImpliedTermStructure(h,new_settlement)
        obs = Observer(raiseFlag)
        obs.registerWith(implied)
        h.linkTo(self.termStructure)
        if not flag:
            self.fail("Observer was not notified of term structure change")

Why does is it work to call "raiseFlag" within the TermStructureTest() class?

Answer 1

Functions defined in the top level are said to be defined at the module (file) level. So if you're in the same file it's globally accessible.

If you're in a different file you'd need

import foo #then use foo.raiseFlag()

or

from foo import raiseFlag #use raiseFlag()