[Python-Dev] %b format? (original) (raw)

Tim Peters tim.one@home.com
Wed, 30 May 2001 18:29:33 -0400

[Eric S. Raymond]

Is the right answer to add the convert-to-base slot and deprecate the other two?

That would fix "the other" lump here in Python, that e.g.

int("111", 3) 13

has no inverse. string->int is happy with any base in 2..36 inclusive, but int->string is spelled via 3 different builtins covering only 3 of those bases.

It would be more expedient to add "just" a bin/nb_bin method + a way to spell binary int literals + a %b format + a bin() builtin.

On the fifth hand, I doubt anyone would want to add new % format codes for bases {2..36} - {2, 8, 10, 16}.

So it will remain lumpy no matter what. I look forward to the PEP .