[Python-Dev] Emit SyntaxWarning on unrecognized backslash escapes?

Guido van Rossum guido at python.org
Tue Feb 24 22:35:44 CET 2015


[Adding back python-dev]

Actually, I wasn't proposing to change repr() -- my sentiments are similar
to Isaac Morland's. Only the error message for the most basic file open()
call should be tweaked.

No solution is perfect -- but it's probably common enough for someone to
create a file or folder named C:\test and being stumped by "cannot open
'C:\test'."

On Tue, Feb 24, 2015 at 1:25 PM, Glenn Linderman <v+python at g.nevcal.com>
wrote:

>  On 2/24/2015 10:49 AM, Guido van Rossum wrote:
>
> I like the \x07 solution.
>
>
> The more I think about it, the more I think this is a sufficient
> solution.  People that use repr to get a Python-compatible string syntax
> for further program use get one. People that see them in an error message
> are much less likely to be fooled into thinking it is two characters,
> because they are thinking of it as two characters to start with.
>
> On the other hand, I have a directory full of "throw away" experimental
> source files named  x01, x02, x03, ...  :)
>
> And I suppose extensive use of certain characters in repr in intermediate
> or archived data could make such data grow in size.
>
> And while \t and \n are very commonly used escapes, maybe string repr
> could have a special function called
> .I_promise_not_to_report_issues_when_I_use_backslash_escapes_in_character_literals_and_get_confused()
> which would switch back from \x07 to \t and \x0a to \n, etc.  This would be
> callable only from __main__ :)
>



-- 
--Guido van Rossum (python.org/~guido)
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/attachments/20150224/d80c6234/attachment-0001.html>


More information about the Python-Dev mailing list