How to assign a value to a TensorFlow variable?

Question

I am trying to assign a new value to a tensorflow variable in python.

import tensorflow as tf
import numpy as np

x = tf.Variable(0)
init = tf.initialize_all_variables()
sess = tf.InteractiveSession()
sess.run(init)

print(x.eval())

x.assign(1)
print(x.eval())

But the output I get is

0
0

So the value has not changed. What am I missing?

Answer 1

In TF1, the statement x.assign(1) does not actually assign the value 1 to x, but rather creates a tf.Operation that you have to explicitly run to update the variable.* A call to Operation.run() or Session.run() can be used to run the operation:

assign_op = x.assign(1)
sess.run(assign_op)  # or `assign_op.op.run()`
print(x.eval())
# ==> 1

(* In fact, it returns a tf.Tensor, corresponding to the updated value of the variable, to make it easier to chain assignments.)

However, in TF2 x.assign(1) will now assign the value eagerly:

x.assign(1)
print(x.numpy())
# ==> 1