python - Function returns tuple instead of string -

i have function in python similar following:

def checkargs(*args):     if len(args) == 1:         x = args         y =     elif len(args) == 2:         x, y = args      return x, y 

when put in 1 argument (a string), x comes out tuple. when put in 2 arguments (two strings), x , y returned strings. how can x come out string if put in 1 argument?

this happens because args always tuple, if put in 1 argument. so, when do:

x = args 

this doing:

x = ('abc',) 

there 2 (equivalent) ways fix this: either explicitly assign x first element of tuple:

x = args[0] 

or invoke same tuple unpacking x,y assignment uses assigning length-1 tuple:

x, = args