On 12.10.2016 23:33, Mikhail V wrote: > Hello all, > > I want to share my thoughts about syntax improvements regarding > character representation in Python. > I am new to the list so if such a discussion or a PEP exists already, > please let me know. > > So in short: > > Currently Python uses hexadecimal notation > for characters for input and output. > For example let's take a unicode string "абв.txt" > (a file named with first three Cyrillic letters). > > Now printing it we get: > > u'\u0430\u0431\u0432.txt'
Hmm, in Python3, I get: >>> s = "абв.txt" >>> s 'абв.txt' > So one sees that we have hex numbers here. > Same is for typing in the strings which obviously also uses hex. > Same is for some parts of the Python documentation, > especially those about unicode strings. > > PROPOSAL: > 1. Remove all hex notation from printing functions, typing, > documention. > So for printing functions leave the hex as an "option", > for example for those who feel the need for hex representation, > which is strange IMO. > 2. Replace it with decimal notation, in this case e.g: > > u'\u0430\u0431\u0432.txt' becomes > u'\u1072\u1073\u1074.txt' > > and similarly for other cases where raw bytes must be printed/inputed > So to summarize: make the decimal notation standard for all cases. > I am not going to go deeper, such as what digit amount (leading zeros) > to use, since it's quite secondary decision. > > MOTIVATION: > 1. Hex notation is hardly readable. It was not designed with readability > in mind, so for reading it is not appropriate system, at least with the > current character set, which is a mix of digits and letters (curious who > was that wize person who invented such a set?). > 2. Mixing of two notations (hex and decimal) is a _very_ bad idea, > I hope no need to explain why. > > So that's it, in short. > Feel free to discuss and comment. The hex notation for \uXXXX is a standard also used in many other programming languages, it's also easier to parse, so I don't think we should change this default. Take e.g. >>> s = "\u123456" >>> s 'ሴ56' With decimal notation, it's not clear where to end parsing the digit notation. -- Marc-Andre Lemburg eGenix.com Professional Python Services directly from the Experts (#1, Oct 12 2016) >>> Python Projects, Coaching and Consulting ... http://www.egenix.com/ >>> Python Database Interfaces ... http://products.egenix.com/ >>> Plone/Zope Database Interfaces ... http://zope.egenix.com/ ________________________________________________________________________ ::: We implement business ideas - efficiently in both time and costs ::: eGenix.com Software, Skills and Services GmbH Pastor-Loeh-Str.48 D-40764 Langenfeld, Germany. CEO Dipl.-Math. Marc-Andre Lemburg Registered at Amtsgericht Duesseldorf: HRB 46611 http://www.egenix.com/company/contact/ http://www.malemburg.com/ _______________________________________________ Python-ideas mailing list Pythonemail@example.com https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-ideas Code of Conduct: http://python.org/psf/codeofconduct/