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classification
Title: Explicitly mention bytes and other buffers in the documentation for float()
Type: enhancement Stage: needs patch
Components: Documentation Versions: Python 3.11, Python 3.10, Python 3.9
process
Status: open Resolution:
Dependencies: Superseder:
Assigned To: docs@python Nosy List: docs@python, joelthelion, mjpieters, rhettinger
Priority: normal Keywords:

Created on 2018-05-18 10:41 by mjpieters, last changed 2022-04-11 14:59 by admin.

Messages (1)
msg317022 - (view) Author: Martijn Pieters (mjpieters) * Date: 2018-05-18 10:41
float(bytesobject) treats the contents of the bytesobject as a sequence of ASCII characters, and converts those to a float value as if you used float(bytesobject.decode('ASCII')). The same support is extended to other objects implementing the buffer protocol.

The documentation, however, doesn't mention this:

> Return a floating point number constructed from a number or string x.

Everywhere else in the functions documentation, "string" refers to an object of type `str`. Please make it explicit that `bytes` is also acceptedable, like it does for the int() documentation.
History
Date User Action Args
2022-04-11 14:59:00adminsetgithub: 77748
2021-12-19 04:18:07rhettingersetnosy: + rhettinger
2021-12-19 00:38:41AlexWaygoodsetnosy: + docs@python
versions: + Python 3.9, Python 3.10, Python 3.11
assignee: docs@python
components: + Documentation
type: enhancement
stage: needs patch
2018-05-18 12:00:07joelthelionsetnosy: + joelthelion
2018-05-18 10:41:41mjpieterscreate