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classification
Title: str.translate documentation incomplete
Type: enhancement Stage: resolved
Components: Documentation, Unicode Versions: Python 3.6, Python 3.4, Python 3.5
process
Status: closed Resolution: fixed
Dependencies: Superseder:
Assigned To: docs@python Nosy List: berker.peksag, bgailer, docs@python, ezio.melotti, georg.brandl, jjposner, josh.r, lilbludot, martin.panter, python-dev, serhiy.storchaka, terry.reedy, vstinner, zach.ware
Priority: normal Keywords: easy, patch

Created on 2014-04-17 01:01 by bgailer, last changed 2022-04-11 14:58 by admin. This issue is now closed.

Files
File name Uploaded Description Edit
issue21279.patch lilbludot, 2014-04-18 22:47 review
issue21279.patch martin.panter, 2014-12-13 03:21 review
issue21279.patch martin.panter, 2014-12-18 04:14 review
issue21279.v4.patch martin.panter, 2014-12-21 08:50 review
issue21279.v5.patch jjposner, 2014-12-24 02:27 review
issue21279.v6.patch jjposner, 2015-01-25 16:39 review
Messages (25)
msg216630 - (view) Author: bob gailer (bgailer) Date: 2014-04-17 01:01
Documentation for str.translate only mentions a dictionary for the translation table. Actually any iterable can be used, as long as its elements are integer, None or str.

Recommend wording:

str.translate(translation_table)

Return a copy of the s where all characters have been "mapped" through the translation_table - which must be either a dictionary mapping Unicode ordinals (integers) to Unicode ordinals, strings or None,
or an iterable. In this case the ord() of each character in s is used as an index into the iterable; the corresponding element of the iterable replaces the character. If ord() of the character exceeds the index range of the iterator, no substitution is made.

Example: to shift any of the first 255 ASCII characters to the next:

>>> 'Now is the time for all good men'.translate(range(1, 256))
'Opx!jt!uif!ujnf!gps!bmm!hppe!nfo'

COMMENT: I placed mapped in quotes as technically this only applies to dictionaries. Not sure what the best word is.
msg216653 - (view) Author: Martin Panter (martin.panter) * (Python committer) Date: 2014-04-17 04:50
I suspect “iterable” is the wrong term.

>>> isinstance(set(), Iterable)
True
>>> "abc".translate(set())
TypeError: 'set' object does not support indexing
>>> "abc".translate(object())
TypeError: 'object' object is not subscriptable

Maybe “indexable” or “subscriptable” would be more correct? If this behaviour is part of the API, it would be nice to document, because it would have saved me a few times from implementing the __len__() and __iter__() methods of the mapping interface in my custom lookup tables.

Here is my suggestion:

str.translate(table):

Return a copy of the string where all characters have been mapped through “table”, a lookup table. The lookup table must be a subscriptable object, for instance a dictionary or list, mapping Unicode ordinals (integers) to Unicode ordinals, strings or None. If a character is not in the table, the subscript operation should raise LookupError, and the character is left untouched. Characters mapped to None are deleted.
msg216683 - (view) Author: Josh Rosenberg (josh.r) * (Python triager) Date: 2014-04-17 10:43
For the record, I have intentionally used bytes.maketrans to make translation table for str.translate for precisely this reason; it's much faster to look up a ordinal in a bytes object than in a dictionary. Before the recent (partial) patch for str.translate performance (#21118), this was a huge improvement if you only needed to worry about latin-1 characters (though encoding to latin-1, using bytes.translate, then decoding again was still faster). It's still faster than using a dictionary even with the patch from #21118, but it's not nearly as significant.
msg216815 - (view) Author: Kinga Farkas (lilbludot) * Date: 2014-04-18 22:47
I have created a patch based on Martin Panter's suggestions.  Please let me know if it is off or there should be additional changes included.
msg216817 - (view) Author: Terry J. Reedy (terry.reedy) * (Python committer) Date: 2014-04-19 00:08
The docstring is more accurate.
">>> str.translate.__doc__
'S.translate(table) -> str\n\nReturn a copy of the string S, where all characters have been mapped\nthrough the given translation table, which must be a mapping of\nUnicode ordinals to Unicode ordinals, strings, or None.\nUnmapped characters are left untouched. Characters mapped to None\nare deleted.'""

To me, even this is a bit unclear on exceptions and 'unmapped'. Based on experiments and then reading the C source, I determined that LookupErrors mean 'unmapped' while other exceptions are passed on and terminate the translation.

"Return a copy of the string S, where all characters have been mapped through the given translation table. When subscripted by a Unicode ordinal (integer in range(1048576)), the table must return a Unicode ordinal, string, or None, or else raise a LookupError. A LookupError, which includes instances of subclasses IndexError and KeyError, indicates that the character is unmapped and should be left untouched. Characters mapped to None are deleted."

class Table:
    def __getitem__(self, key):
        if key == 99:   raise LookupError() #'c'
        elif key == 100: return None  # 'd'
        elif key == 101: return 'xyz'  # 'e'
        else: return key+1
                
print('abcdef'.translate(Table()))
# bccxyzg

The current doc ends with "Note
An even more flexible approach is to create a custom character mapping codec using the codecs module (see encodings.cp1251 for an example)."

I don't see how this is supposed to help. Encodings.cp1251 uses a string of 256 chars as a lookup table.
msg216818 - (view) Author: Terry J. Reedy (terry.reedy) * (Python committer) Date: 2014-04-19 00:10
I see that we mostly added the same info.
msg232590 - (view) Author: Martin Panter (martin.panter) * (Python committer) Date: 2014-12-13 03:21
Update patch with typo fixed, removed note about the “codecs” module (which I never found useful either), and updated the doc string with similar wording.

Terry, do you think the wording in the patch is good enough, or do you think some of your proposed wording should be included?
msg232624 - (view) Author: Terry J. Reedy (terry.reedy) * (Python committer) Date: 2014-12-13 23:50
Many people may not know that IndexError and KeyError are subclasses of LookupError. I have not decided what to add yet, but I think we are close.
msg232662 - (view) Author: John Posner (jjposner) * Date: 2014-12-15 13:38
Kindly ignore message #2 on the Rietveld page (sorry for the channel noise). Here's my suggested revision:

Return a copy of the string *str* in which each character has been mapped through the given translation *table*. The table must be a subscriptable object, for instance a list or dictionary; when subscripted (indexed) by a Unicode ordinal (an integer in range(1048576)), the table object can:

* return a Unicode ordinal or a string, to map the character to one or more other characters.

* return None, to delete the character from the return string.

* raise a LookupError (possibly an instance of subclass IndexError or KeyError), to map the character to itself.
msg232695 - (view) Author: Martin Panter (martin.panter) * (Python committer) Date: 2014-12-16 01:12
I’m largely happy with any of these revisions. If I end up doing another patch I would omit the *str* (it is a class name, not a parameter). Also I would omit the range(2^20) claim. Unless people think it is important; why is it different to sys.maxunicode + 1 = 0x110000?
msg232855 - (view) Author: Martin Panter (martin.panter) * (Python committer) Date: 2014-12-18 04:14
Here is a new patch based on John’s suggestion
msg232933 - (view) Author: John Posner (jjposner) * Date: 2014-12-19 14:58
Regarding Martin's patch of 12-18:

stdtypes.rst -- looks good to me

unicodeobject.c -- I suggest changing this sentence:

If a character is not in the table, the subscript operation should raise LookupError, and the character is left untouched.

 ... to:

If the subscript operation raises a LookupError, the character is left untouched.
msg232994 - (view) Author: Martin Panter (martin.panter) * (Python committer) Date: 2014-12-21 08:50
Patch v4 with John’s doc string wording
msg232999 - (view) Author: John Posner (jjposner) * Date: 2014-12-21 15:58
Patch of 12-21 looks good, Martin.
msg233000 - (view) Author: Serhiy Storchaka (serhiy.storchaka) * (Python committer) Date: 2014-12-21 16:59
Proposed wording looks superfluously verbose to me.

Look also at description in Include/unicodeobject.h:

/* Translate a string by applying a character mapping table to it and
   return the resulting Unicode object.

   The mapping table must map Unicode ordinal integers to Unicode
   ordinal integers or None (causing deletion of the character).

   Mapping tables may be dictionaries or sequences. Unmapped character
   ordinals (ones which cause a LookupError) are left untouched and
   are copied as-is.

*/

It is repeated (more detailed) in Doc/c-api/unicode.rst. Isn't it pretty clear?
msg233002 - (view) Author: Martin Panter (martin.panter) * (Python committer) Date: 2014-12-21 22:05
Serhiy can you point out which bits are too verbose? Perhaps you prefer it without the bullet list like in the earlier 2014-12-13 version of the patch.

Looking at the C API, I see a couple problems there:
* Omits mentioning that an ordinal can map to a replacement string
* It looks like the documented None behaviour applies when errors="ignore", otherwise it invokes a codec error handler
msg233013 - (view) Author: Serhiy Storchaka (serhiy.storchaka) * (Python committer) Date: 2014-12-22 07:35
> Serhiy can you point out which bits are too verbose? Perhaps you prefer it
> without the bullet list like in the earlier 2014-12-13 version of the
> patch.

I prefer it without the bullet list and without LookupError expansion (there 
is a link to LookupError definition where IndexError and KeyError should be 
mentioned). Instead of new term "subscriptable objects" use "mappings or 
sequences" with links to glossary.

> Looking at the C API, I see a couple problems there:

Yes, it is slightly outdated and needs updates.
msg233014 - (view) Author: Terry J. Reedy (terry.reedy) * (Python committer) Date: 2014-12-22 08:38
I agree with Serhiy: no bullet points, links to glossary (at least in doc), without repeating.
msg233025 - (view) Author: Martin Panter (martin.panter) * (Python committer) Date: 2014-12-22 20:34
The problem with mappings and sequences is that they both require len() and iter() implementations, but str.translate() only requires __getitem__(). Perhaps a qualifier could work, like:

The table must implement the __getitem__() method of mappings and sequences.
msg233071 - (view) Author: John Posner (jjposner) * Date: 2014-12-24 02:27
issue21279.v5.patch tries to apply the comments in msg233013, msg233014, and msg233025 to the Doc/library/stdtypes.rst writeup. Then it applies some of the same language to the docstring in Objects/unicodeobject.c.
msg234652 - (view) Author: Martin Panter (martin.panter) * (Python committer) Date: 2015-01-25 05:00
I’m happy with the new wording in v5. Maybe the docstring in the C module could be reflowed though.
msg234674 - (view) Author: John Posner (jjposner) * Date: 2015-01-25 16:39
Per Martin's suggestion, deltas from issue21279.v5.patch:

* no change to patch for doc/library/stdtypes.rst

* doc string reflowed in patch for objects/unicodeobject.c
msg245546 - (view) Author: Martin Panter (martin.panter) * (Python committer) Date: 2015-06-20 07:10
Patch v6 looks okay, so I think it is ready to commit.
msg248107 - (view) Author: Roundup Robot (python-dev) (Python triager) Date: 2015-08-06 05:06
New changeset ae53bd5decae by Zachary Ware in branch '3.4':
Issue #21279: Flesh out str.translate docs
https://hg.python.org/cpython/rev/ae53bd5decae

New changeset 064b569e38fe by Zachary Ware in branch '3.5':
Issue #21279: Merge with 3.4
https://hg.python.org/cpython/rev/064b569e38fe

New changeset 967c9a9fe724 by Zachary Ware in branch 'default':
Closes #21279: Merge with 3.5
https://hg.python.org/cpython/rev/967c9a9fe724
msg248108 - (view) Author: Zachary Ware (zach.ware) * (Python committer) Date: 2015-08-06 05:09
Very minor grammatical fixes, reflowed the .rst docs, and re-added the codecs module mention in a less obtrusive manner, but the patch is committed.  Thank you Kinga, Martin, and John!
History
Date User Action Args
2022-04-11 14:58:02adminsetgithub: 65478
2015-08-06 05:09:41zach.waresetnosy: + zach.ware
messages: + msg248108
2015-08-06 05:06:10python-devsetstatus: open -> closed

nosy: + python-dev
messages: + msg248107

resolution: fixed
stage: commit review -> resolved
2015-06-20 07:10:26martin.pantersetstage: patch review -> commit review
messages: + msg245546
versions: + Python 3.6
2015-01-25 19:54:08berker.peksagsetnosy: + berker.peksag
2015-01-25 16:39:34jjposnersetfiles: + issue21279.v6.patch

messages: + msg234674
2015-01-25 05:00:02martin.pantersetmessages: + msg234652
2014-12-24 02:27:34jjposnersetfiles: + issue21279.v5.patch

messages: + msg233071
2014-12-22 20:34:56martin.pantersetmessages: + msg233025
2014-12-22 08:38:25terry.reedysetmessages: + msg233014
2014-12-22 07:35:40serhiy.storchakasetmessages: + msg233013
2014-12-21 22:05:30martin.pantersetmessages: + msg233002
2014-12-21 16:59:25serhiy.storchakasetnosy: + serhiy.storchaka, ezio.melotti, georg.brandl, vstinner
messages: + msg233000
components: + Unicode
2014-12-21 15:58:49jjposnersetmessages: + msg232999
2014-12-21 08:50:48martin.pantersetfiles: + issue21279.v4.patch

messages: + msg232994
2014-12-19 14:58:58jjposnersetmessages: + msg232933
2014-12-18 04:14:07martin.pantersetfiles: + issue21279.patch

messages: + msg232855
2014-12-16 01:12:42martin.pantersetmessages: + msg232695
2014-12-15 13:38:48jjposnersetnosy: + jjposner
messages: + msg232662
2014-12-13 23:50:42terry.reedysetmessages: + msg232624
2014-12-13 03:21:49martin.pantersetfiles: + issue21279.patch

messages: + msg232590
2014-04-19 00:10:17terry.reedysetmessages: + msg216818
2014-04-19 00:08:48terry.reedysetnosy: + terry.reedy
messages: + msg216817
2014-04-18 22:47:22lilbludotsetfiles: + issue21279.patch

nosy: + lilbludot
messages: + msg216815

keywords: + patch
2014-04-17 10:43:16josh.rsetnosy: + josh.r
messages: + msg216683
2014-04-17 04:50:41martin.pantersetnosy: + martin.panter
messages: + msg216653
2014-04-17 01:06:05rhettingersetkeywords: + easy
stage: patch review
versions: + Python 3.4, Python 3.5, - Python 3.3
2014-04-17 01:01:22bgailercreate