[Python-ideas] Smoothing transition: 'unicode' and 'basestring' as aliases for 'str'?

[Thomas Güttler]

yes, you are right. It's better to leave Python3 clean (without "basestring").

I see two ways now.


six
----

     six.string_types  # replacement for basestring

     Source https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/1.10/topics/python3/#string-handling-with-six


future
------

     from past.builtins import basestring   # pip install future

     Source http://python-future.org/compatible_idioms.html#basestring


I have no clue which one I should use.

Regards,
   Thomas

Am 03.03.2017 um 16:43 schrieb Joao S. O. Bueno:
> I see no reason to introduce clutter like this at this point in time -
>  code needing to run in both Py 2 nd 3, if not using something like
> "six" could do:
>
> compat.py
> try:
>      unicode
> except NameError:
>      unicode = basestring = str
>
> elsewhere:
> from compat import unicode, basestring
>
>
> Or rather:
>
> try:
>     unicode
> else:
>     str = basestring = unicode
>
> and
> from compat import str
> # therefore having Python3 valid and clear code from here.
>
> On 3 March 2017 at 11:37, Ryan Birmingham <rainventions at gmail.com> wrote:
>> The thread is here in the archive
>> (https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-ideas/2016-June/040761.html) if
>> anyone's wondering context, as I was.
>>
>> In short, someone wanted an alias from string to basestring.
>>  This is addressed in the "What's new in Python 3.0"
>> (https://docs.python.org/3/whatsnew/3.0.html) page:
>>>
>>> The built-in basestring abstract type was removed. Use str instead. The
>>> strand bytes types don’t have functionality enough in common to warrant a
>>> shared base class. The 2to3 tool (see below) replaces every occurrence of
>>> basestring with str.
>>
>> Personally, I have no issue with leaving an alias like this in 2to3, since
>> adding it to the language feels more like forced backwards compatibility to
>> me.
>>
>> That said, there are more related subtleties on the "What's new in Python
>> 3.0" page, some of which seem less intuitive, so I understand where a desire
>> like this would come from. Would more specific and succinct documentation on
>> this change alone help?
>>
>> -Ryan Birmingham
>>
>> On 3 March 2017 at 06:44, Thomas Güttler <guettliml at thomas-guettler.de>
>> wrote:
>>>
>>> I found this in an old post:
>>>
>>>> Maybe too late now but there should have been 'unicode',
>>>> 'basestring' as aliases for 'str'.
>>>
>>> I guess it is too late to think about it again ...
>>>
>>> Regards,
>>>   Thomas Güttler
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Thomas Guettler http://www.thomas-guettler.de/
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Python-ideas mailing list
>>> Python-ideas at python.org
>>> https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-ideas
>>> Code of Conduct: http://python.org/psf/codeofconduct/
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Python-ideas mailing list
>> Python-ideas at python.org
>> https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-ideas
>> Code of Conduct: http://python.org/psf/codeofconduct/

-- 
Thomas Guettler http://www.thomas-guettler.de/