[Tutor] string iteration

[Doug Stanfield]

[Sean Dwyer asked:]
> given a string a = 'abcdefghijklmnop' and a string b = 'abc', how do i
> iterate b against a, so i get a string c = 'abcabcabcabcabca' 
> the length of a?
> my brain is hurting from all the failed for loops :)

One way:

Python 1.5.2 (#1, Apr 18 1999, 16:03:16)  [GCC pgcc-2.91.60 19981201
(egcs-1.1.1  on linux2
Copyright 1991-1995 Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam
>>> a = 'abcdefghijklmnop'
>>> b = 'abc'
>>> spam = b * int(len(a)/len(b))
>>> spam           
'abcabcabcabcabc'
>>> spam = b * (int(len(a)/len(b))+1)
>>> spam
'abcabcabcabcabcabc'
>>> eggs = spam[:len(a)]
>>> eggs
'abcabcabcabcabca'
>>> 

Does that help?

-Doug-