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classification
Title: argparse int type does not accept scientific notation
Type: enhancement Stage: resolved
Components: Library (Lib) Versions: Python 3.7
process
Status: closed Resolution: not a bug
Dependencies: Superseder:
Assigned To: Nosy List: jessehostetler, pablogsal, paul.j3, xtreak
Priority: normal Keywords:

Created on 2018-09-25 22:31 by jessehostetler, last changed 2022-04-11 14:59 by admin. This issue is now closed.

Files
File name Uploaded Description Edit
argparse-int-scientific.py jessehostetler, 2018-09-25 22:31 Code example
Messages (5)
msg326409 - (view) Author: Jesse Hostetler (jessehostetler) Date: 2018-09-25 22:31
The 'argparse' module gives a parse error for integer arguments written in scientific notation. I would expect this to work, since integers can be constructed from literals in scientific notation.

Example (also attached):

import argparse
foo = int(1e3) # Works: foo = 1000
parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
parser.add_argument( "--foo", type=int )
parser.parse_args( ["--foo=1e3"] )
# error: argument --foo: invalid int value: '1e3'
msg326410 - (view) Author: Jesse Hostetler (jessehostetler) Date: 2018-09-25 22:37
I suppose desired behavior would be to accept the argument only if it can be converted to int without loss of information.
msg326413 - (view) Author: Pablo Galindo Salgado (pablogsal) * (Python committer) Date: 2018-09-25 23:34
The conversion fails because is trying to convert a string, not a float:

>>> int("1e3")
*** ValueError: invalid literal for int() with base 10: '1e3'
msg326414 - (view) Author: Pablo Galindo Salgado (pablogsal) * (Python committer) Date: 2018-09-25 23:36
You can always do:

import argparse
foo = int(1e3) # Works: foo = 1000
parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
parser.add_argument( "--foo", type=lambda x: int(float(x)))
parser.parse_args( ["--foo=1e3"] )
msg326520 - (view) Author: paul j3 (paul.j3) * (Python triager) Date: 2018-09-27 03:35
The `type` parameter is normally a function (or more generally a callable).  When given a string it should convert it as needed, or raise an error.  In your example that function is the stock, 'int()'.

Test `int('123')`, `int('1e3')` etc for yourself to see what it can handle.

If you want to convert '1e3' to an integer, write your own function that handle it.  Don't expect argparse or the stock int() to do it for you.

More commonly people use 'type=bool', expecting it convert 'True' or 'False' strings to boolean values.  But that's not what the bool() function does.

To reiterate, 'type' is a function, not a desired class.

Since this is not a bug, I think this should be closed.
History
Date User Action Args
2022-04-11 14:59:06adminsetgithub: 78984
2018-09-27 16:56:48paul.j3setstatus: open -> closed
resolution: not a bug
stage: resolved
2018-09-27 03:35:49paul.j3setnosy: + paul.j3
messages: + msg326520
2018-09-26 01:54:34xtreaksetnosy: + xtreak
2018-09-25 23:36:05pablogsalsetmessages: + msg326414
2018-09-25 23:34:25pablogsalsetnosy: + pablogsal
messages: + msg326413
2018-09-25 22:37:22jessehostetlersetmessages: + msg326410
2018-09-25 22:31:02jessehostetlercreate