[Python-checkins] [Python-Dev] r46795 - in python/trunk: Doc/lib/libstdtypes.tex Lib/test/string_tests.py Misc/NEWS Objects/stringobject.c Objects/unicodeobject.c

[Neal Norwitz]

On 6/13/06, Tim Peters <tim.peters at gmail.com> wrote:
> [georg.brandl]
> >> Author: georg.brandl
> >> Date: Fri Jun  9 20:45:48 2006
> >> New Revision: 46795
> >>
> >> Log:
> >> RFE #1491485: str/unicode.endswith()/startswith() now accept a
> tuple as first argument.
>
> [Neal Norwitz]
> > What's the reason to not support any sequence and only support tuples?
>
> It can't support any sequence, else e.g. s.endswith(".py") would be ambiguous.

Good point, I was really just thinking of lists though.

> > Are there any other APIs that only support tuples rather than all
> > sequences?
>
> Oh, who cares -- it would be a relief to leave _something_ simple <0.7
> wink>.

:-)

I was thinking about a use case like this:

   supported_suffixes = ['.py', '.pyc', '.pyo']
   if sys.platform[:3] == 'win':
      supported_suffixes.append('.pyw')
   if pathname.endswith(supported_suffixes):
      # ...

I realize you could just throw a tuple(supported_suffixes).  I don't
know that I've ever needed that specific use case.  I don't think it's
too common.  Just thinking about avoiding newbie surprises.

> Given that {start,end}swidth can't support all sequences regardless,
> restricting it to tuples is OK by me, and was clearly sufficient for
> the uses made of this already in the standard library.

I'm ok with this either way.  It's easy enough to add later, but hard
to take away.

n