[Python-ideas] string.Template v2

[Nick Coghlan]

On 29 November 2013 11:13, Stephen J. Turnbull <stephen at xemacs.org> wrote:
> Although AFAIK attribute access and filter syntax are common features
> of popular templating languages, I don't think it's a good idea for
> Python to advocate a particular set of features in its format language
> when the set of commonly accepted features is quite restricted (eg,
> one level of object attribute access), so in practice templating
> languages are not going to go away.  On the Python side, Python cannot
> assume that the output language will be a structured markup language
> with styling features; the low-level formatting syntax is still
> needed.
>
> -1 on adding more templating features to Python's stdlib; .format()
> already hits the sweet spot given current best practice IMO.

As is frequently the case, Anatoly has failed to do his research on
what is already possible and the rationale for the status quo before
proposing changes. This is in spite of repeated requests (over a
number of years) that he stop wasting people's time on the core
development lists.

1. The string.Template syntax is aimed at document translators and
other non-developer string formatting use cases. It is not really
intended for programmatic use. This is covered explicitly in PEP 292
(which added string.Template)

2. The str.format mini-language *is* designed for programmatic use,
and already offers attribute and item access as part of element
substitution (see PEP 3101 and the standard library documentation).

There's essentially zero chance of a fourth approach to string
formatting being added to the standard library - third party libraries
remain free to do whatever they want, though.

Regards,
Nick.


-- 
Nick Coghlan   |   ncoghlan at gmail.com   |   Brisbane, Australia