Index: Doc/library/stringio.rst =================================================================== --- Doc/library/stringio.rst (revision 63792) +++ Doc/library/stringio.rst (working copy) @@ -1,117 +0,0 @@ -.. XXX this whole file is outdated - -:mod:`StringIO` --- Read and write strings as files -=================================================== - -.. module:: StringIO - :synopsis: Read and write strings as if they were files. - - -This module implements a file-like class, :class:`StringIO`, that reads and -writes a string buffer (also known as *memory files*). See the description of -file objects for operations (section :ref:`bltin-file-objects`). (For -standard strings, see :class:`str`.) - - -.. class:: StringIO([buffer]) - - When a :class:`StringIO` object is created, it can be initialized to an existing - string by passing the string to the constructor. If no string is given, the - :class:`StringIO` will start empty. In both cases, the initial file position - starts at zero. - -The following methods of :class:`StringIO` objects require special mention: - - -.. method:: StringIO.getvalue() - - Retrieve the entire contents of the "file" at any time before the - :class:`StringIO` object's :meth:`close` method is called. - - -.. method:: StringIO.close() - - Free the memory buffer. - -Example usage:: - - import StringIO - - output = StringIO.StringIO() - output.write('First line.\n') - print('Second line.', file=output) - - # Retrieve file contents -- this will be - # 'First line.\nSecond line.\n' - contents = output.getvalue() - - # Close object and discard memory buffer -- - # .getvalue() will now raise an exception. - output.close() - - -:mod:`cStringIO` --- Faster version of :mod:`StringIO` -====================================================== - -.. module:: cStringIO - :synopsis: Faster version of StringIO, but not subclassable. -.. moduleauthor:: Jim Fulton -.. sectionauthor:: Fred L. Drake, Jr. - - -The module :mod:`cStringIO` provides an interface similar to that of the -:mod:`StringIO` module. Heavy use of :class:`StringIO.StringIO` objects can be -made more efficient by using the function :func:`StringIO` from this module -instead. - -Since this module provides a factory function which returns objects of built-in -types, there's no way to build your own version using subclassing. Use the -original :mod:`StringIO` module in that case. - -Unlike the memory files implemented by the :mod:`StringIO` module, those -provided by this module are not able to accept strings that cannot be -encoded in plain ASCII. - -Calling :func:`StringIO` with a string parameter populates -the object with the buffer representation of the string, instead of -encoding the string. - -Another difference from the :mod:`StringIO` module is that calling -:func:`StringIO` with a string parameter creates a read-only object. Unlike an -object created without a string parameter, it does not have write methods. -These objects are not generally visible. They turn up in tracebacks as -:class:`StringI` and :class:`StringO`. - -The following data objects are provided as well: - - -.. data:: InputType - - The type object of the objects created by calling :func:`StringIO` with a string - parameter. - - -.. data:: OutputType - - The type object of the objects returned by calling :func:`StringIO` with no - parameters. - -There is a C API to the module as well; refer to the module source for more -information. - -Example usage:: - - import cStringIO - - output = cStringIO.StringIO() - output.write('First line.\n') - print('Second line.', file=output) - - # Retrieve file contents -- this will be - # 'First line.\nSecond line.\n' - contents = output.getvalue() - - # Close object and discard memory buffer -- - # .getvalue() will now raise an exception. - output.close() -