Python variable exists undefined?

Question

I am having trouble creating a simple on/off switch. I am beginner and am writing a discord bot for fun and to learn. My bot is on more than one server and that is why a global variable isn't an option (running it on one server also changes it for others). Putting a variable inside the command isn't an option because every time I run the command, it defines it. I need something that exists but can only be defined by subprocesses.

@bot.command()
async def xxx(ctx):

    # global x # doesn't work correctly
    # x = "" # doesn't work correctly

    if x != True:
        x = True
        await ctx.send("X is on!")
 
    else:
        x = False
        await ctx.send("X is off!")


    while x == True:
        #some code calculations here, blablabla

    await asyncio.sleep(60)

What is a solution to my problem? Thank you.

Answer 1

I assume that server means ctx.guild - so you can use dictionary to keep values for different servers - x[ctx.guild.name] or x[ctx.guild].

You don't have to create all servers at start but you can check in function if server is in dictionary and add default value.

# global dictionary
x = dict()

@bot.command()
async def xxx(ctx):
    # dictionary doesn't need `global x` in function

    server_name = ctx.guild.name
    
    # set default value if used first time on server/guild
    if server_name not in x:
        x[server_name] = False
        
    if not x[server_name]:
        x[server_name] = True
        await ctx.send("X is on!")
    else:
        x[server_name] = False
        await ctx.send("X is off!")

    while x[server_name]:
        #some code calculations here, blablabla

    await asyncio.sleep(60)

---

You can also switch True/False using not

x[server_name] = not x[server_name]

if x[server_name]:
    await ctx.send("X is on!")
else:
    await ctx.send("X is off!")