9.7. Stringify Objects

9.7.1. String

  • for end-user

  • print converts it's arguments to str() before printing

Listing 9.34. Object without __str__() method overloaded prints their memory address
class Astronaut:
    def __init__(self, name):
        self.name = name


astro = Astronaut('José Jiménez')

print(astro)        # <__main__.Astronaut object at 0x114175dd0>
str(astro)          # '<__main__.Astronaut object at 0x114175dd0>'
astro.__str__()     # '<__main__.Astronaut object at 0x114175dd0>'
Listing 9.35. Objects can verbose print if __str__() method is present
class Astronaut:
    def __init__(self, name):
        self.name = name

    def __str__(self):
        return f'My name... {self.name}'


astro = Astronaut('José Jiménez')

print(astro)        # My name... José Jiménez
str(astro)          # 'My name... José Jiménez'
astro.__str__()     # 'My name... José Jiménez'

9.7.2. Representation

  • for developers

  • object representation

  • copy-paste for creating object with the same values

  • useful for debugging

  • printing list will call __repr__ on each element

Listing 9.36. Using __repr__() on a class
class Astronaut:
    def __init__(self, name):
        self.name = name

    def __repr__(self):
        return f'Astronaut(name="{self.name}")'


 astro = Astronaut('José Jiménez')

 repr(astro)        # 'Astronaut(name="José Jiménez")'
 astro              # Astronaut(name="José Jiménez")
Listing 9.37. printing list will call __repr__ on each element
class Astronaut:
    def __init__(self, name):
        self.name = name

crew = [
    Astronaut('Jan Twardowski'),
    Astronaut('Mark Watney'),
    Astronaut('Melissa Lewis'),
]

print(crew)
# [
#   <__main__.Astronaut object at 0x107871160>,
#   <__main__.Astronaut object at 0x107c422e8>,
#   <__main__.Astronaut object at 0x108156be0>
# ]
Listing 9.38. printing list will call __repr__ on each element
class Astronaut:
    def __init__(self, name):
        self.name = name

    def __repr__(self):
        return f'{self.name}'

crew = [
    Astronaut('Jan Twardowski'),
    Astronaut('Mark Watney'),
    Astronaut('Melissa Lewis'),
]

print(crew)
# [Jan Twardowski, Mark Watney, Melissa Lewis]

9.7.3. String vs Representation

Listing 9.39. __str__ and __repr__
import datetime

str(datetime.datetime.now())
# 1961-04-12 6:07:00.000000

repr(datetime.datetime.now())
# datetime.datetime(1961, 4, 12, 6, 7, 0, 000000)

9.7.4. Format

  • Used for advanced formatting

class Astronaut:
    def __init__(self, name):
        self.name = name

    def __format__(self, mood):
        if mood == 'happy':
            return f"Yuppi, we're going to space!"
        elif mood == 'scared':
            return f"I hope we don't crash"


 jose = Astronaut('José Jiménez')

 print(f'{jose:happy}')
 # Yuppi, we're going to space!

 print(f'{jose:scared}')
 # I hope we don't crash

SECOND = 1
MINUTE = 60 * SECOND
HOUR = 60 * MINUTE
DAY = 24 * HOUR


class Duration:
    def __init__(self, seconds):
        self.seconds = seconds

    def __format__(self, unit):
        if unit == 'minutes':
            return str(self.seconds / MINUTE)

        if unit == 'hours':
            return str(self.seconds / HOUR)

        if unit == 'days':
            return str(round(self.seconds / DAY, 2))


duration = Duration(seconds=3600)

print(f'Duration was {duration:minutes} min')       # Duration was 60.0 min
print(f'Duration was {duration:hours} hour')        # Duration was 1.0 hour
print(f'Duration was {duration:days} day')          # Duration was 0.04 day

class Temperature:
    def __init__(self, kelvin):
        self.kelvin = kelvin

    def to_fahrenheit(self):
        return (self.kelvin-273.15) * 1.8 + 32

    def to_celsius(self):
        return self.kelvin - 273.15

    def __format__(self, unit):
        if unit == 'kelvin':
            value = self.kelvin
        elif unit == 'celsius':
            value = self.to_celsius()
        elif unit == 'fahrenheit':
            value = self.to_fahrenheit()

        return f'{value:.2f}'


temp = Temperature(309.75)

print(f'Temperature is {temp:kelvin} K')       # Temperature is 309.75 K
print(f'Temperature is {temp:celsius} C')      # Temperature is 36.6 C
print(f'Temperature is {temp:fahrenheit} F')   # Temperature is 97.88 F

class Point:
    def __init__(self, x, y, z=0):
        self.x = x
        self.y = y
        self.z = z

    def __format__(self, name):

        if name == 'in_2D':
            return f"Point(x={self.x}, y={self.y})"

        if name == 'in_3D':
            return f"Point(x={self.x}, y={self.y}, z={self.z})"

        if name == 'as_tuple':
            return str(tuple(self.__dict__.values()))

        if name == 'as_dict':
            return str(self.__dict__)

        if name == 'as_json':
            import json
            return json.dumps(self.__dict__)


point = Point(x=1, y=2)

print(f'{point:in_2D}')           # 'Point(x=1, y=2)'
print(f'{point:in_3D}')           # 'Point(x=1, y=2, z=0)'
print(f'{point:as_tuple}')        # '(1, 2, 0)'
print(f'{point:as_dict}')         # "{'x': 1, 'y': 2, 'z': 0}"
print(f'{point:as_json}')         # '{"x": 1, "y": 2, "z": 0}'

9.7.5. Assignments

9.7.5.1. OOP Stringify Str

  • Assignment name: OOP Stringify Str

  • Last update: 2020-10-01

  • Complexity level: easy

  • Lines of code to write: 18 lines

  • Estimated time of completion: 5 min

  • Solution: solution/oop_stringify_str.py

English

  1. Use code from "Input" section (see below)

  2. While printing object show: species name and a sum method result

  3. Result of sum round to one decimal place

  4. Compare result with "Output" section (see below)

Polish

  1. Użyj kodu z sekcji "Input" (patrz poniżej)

  2. Przy wypisywaniu obiektu pokaż: nazwę gatunku i wynik metody sumującej

  3. Wynik sumowania zaokrąglij do jednego miejsca po przecinku

  4. Porównaj wyniki z sekcją "Output" (patrz poniżej)

Input
DATA = [
    (4.7, 3.2, 1.3, 0.2, 'setosa'),
    (7.0, 3.2, 4.7, 1.4, 'versicolor'),
    (7.6, 3.0, 6.6, 2.1, 'virginica'),
]


class Iris:
    def __init__(self, features, label):
        self.features = features
        self.label = label


for *features, label in DATA:
    iris = Iris(features, label)
    print(iris)
Output
setosa 9.4
versicolor 16.3
virginica 19.3

9.7.5.2. OOP Stringify Repr

  • Assignment name: OOP Stringify Repr

  • Last update: 2020-10-01

  • Complexity level: easy

  • Lines of code to write: 9 lines

  • Estimated time of completion: 5 min

  • Solution: solution/oop_stringify_repr.py

English

  1. Use code from "Input" section (see below)

  2. Print representation of each instance with values (use repr())

  3. Result of sum round to two decimal places

  4. Compare result with "Output" section (see below)

Polish

  1. Użyj kodu z sekcji "Input" (patrz poniżej)

  2. Wypisz reprezentację każdej z instancji z wartościami (użyj repr())

  3. Wynik sumowania zaokrąglij do dwóch miejsc po przecinku

  4. Porównaj wyniki z sekcją "Output" (patrz poniżej)

Input
DATA = [
    (4.7, 3.2, 1.3, 0.2, 'setosa'),
    (7.0, 3.2, 4.7, 1.4, 'versicolor'),
    (7.6, 3.0, 6.6, 2.1, 'virginica'),
]


class Iris:
    def __init__(self, features, label):
        self.features = features
        self.label = label


result = [Iris(X,y) for *X,y in DATA]
print(result)
Output
result: list[Iris]
# [Iris(features=[7.6, 3.0, 6.6, 2.1], label='virginica'),
#  Iris(features=[7.6, 3.0, 6.6, 2.1], label='virginica'),
#  Iris(features=[7.6, 3.0, 6.6, 2.1], label='virginica')]

9.7.5.3. OOP Stringify Nested

  • Assignment name: OOP Stringify Nested

  • Last update: 2020-10-01

  • Complexity level: medium

  • Lines of code to write: 9 lines

  • Estimated time of completion: 21 min

  • Solution: solution/oop_stringify_nested.py

English

  1. Use code from "Input" section (see below)

  2. Overload str and repr to achieve desired printing output

  3. Compare result with "Output" section (see below)

Polish

  1. Użyj kodu z sekcji "Input" (patrz poniżej)

  2. Przeciąż str i repr aby osiągnąć oczekiwany rezultat wypisywania

  3. Porównaj wyniki z sekcją "Output" (patrz poniżej)

Input
Listing 9.40. Address Book
class Crew:
    def __init__(self, members=()):
        self.members = list(members)

class Astronaut:
    def __init__(self, name, experience=()):
        self.name = name
        self.experience = list(experience)

class Mission:
    def __init__(self, year, name):
        self.year = year
        self.name = name
Output
melissa = Astronaut('Melissa Lewis')

print(f'Commander: \n{melissa}\n')
# Commander:
# Melissa Lewis

mark = Astronaut('Mark Watney', experience=[
    Mission(2035, 'Ares 3'),
])

print(f'Space Pirate: \n{mark}\n')
# Space Pirate:
# Mark Watney veteran of [
#       2035: Ares 3]

crew = Crew([
    Astronaut('Jan Twardowski', experience=[
        Mission(1969, 'Apollo 11'),
        Mission(2024, 'Artemis 3'),
    ]),
    Astronaut('José Jiménez'),
    Astronaut('Mark Watney', experience=[
        Mission(2035, 'Ares 3'),
    ]),
])

print(f'Crew: \n{crew}')
# Crew:
# Jan Twardowski veteran of [
#       1969: Apollo 11,
#       2024: Artemis 3]
# José Jiménez
# Mark Watney veteran of [
#       2035: Ares 3]
The whys and wherefores
Hints

  • Define Crew.__str__()

  • Define Astronaut.__str__() and Astronaut.__repr__()

  • Define Mission.__repr__()