print without newline?

[Fredrik Lundh]

ian wrote:
> >Actually, it doesn't put a space after the "Hello.", the next print 
> >statement puts a space before its output.
> 
> I'm sure there is logic behind this choice, but it escapes me. 
> 
> Can anyone explain why print should put a space out first? 

here's how it works:

a print statement is compiled into several bytecode instructions
(opcodes); there's one PRINT_ITEM for each comma-separated
item, and one PRINT_NEWLINE at the end (unless the statement
ends with a comma).

:::

in other words,

    print a, b, c

is compiled into:

    PRINT_ITEM a
    PRINT_ITEM b
    PRINT_ITEM c
    PRINT_NEWLINE

while

    print a, b, c,

results in:

    PRINT_ITEM a
    PRINT_ITEM b
    PRINT_ITEM c

each file-like object implements a "softspace" attribute, which
is used by these two opcodes.  if this flag is set, PRINT_ITEM
prints a space before the actual item.

PRINT_ITEM always sets the flag, PRINT_NEWLINE clears it:

>>> print "a", ; sys.stdout.softspace = 0 ; print "b"
ab
>>> print "a" ; sys.stdout.softspace = 1 ; print "b"
a
 b
>>>

> And can they confirm that the FIRST print in the program does not. 

don't you think we would have noticed by now? ;-)

</F>

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