[Python-Dev] PEP 3127 (Integer Literal Support and Syntax): %o and %b

[Guido van Rossum]

On Tue, Mar 18, 2008 at 9:11 PM, Eric Smith
<eric+python-dev at trueblade.com> wrote:
> I've been double checking the PEP 3127 implementation in py3k and the
>  backport I did to 2.6.  The PEP says this about the % operator:
>
>  "The string (and unicode in 2.6) % operator will have 'b' format
>  specifier added for binary, and the alternate syntax of the 'o' option
>  will need to be updated to add '0o' in front, instead of '0'."
>
>  The %b operator was not added to 3.0, so I'll look into doing that in
>  both 2.6 and 3.0 (which I opened as issue 2416).
>
>  What should be done for '%#o' formatting in 2.6?  The above sentence
>  from the PEP implies it should be modified to add '0o' instead of '0',
>  even in 2.6.  But that seems like a bad idea to me.  Maybe it should
>  stay as-is, but add a -3 warning?  Unfortunately, there'd be no way to
>  change your code to get rid of the warning, short of switching to
>  str.format() or adding a __future__ import (shudder).  In 3.0, '%#o'
>  already adds the leading '0o'.

I think this is such a tiny detail we shouldn't bother with a -3 warning.

I agree that in 2.6, %#o should continue to do what it does in 2.5.
Can you update the PEP?

-- 
--Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)