[THRIFT-241] Python __repr__ is confusing and does not eval to the object in question

• Type: Improvement
• Status: Closed
• Priority: Major
• Resolution: Fixed
• Affects Version/s: 0.1
• Component/s: Python - Compiler
• Patch Info: Patch Available
• Assignee: Unassigned
• Reporter: Jonathan Ellis
• Created: 24/Dec/08 16:53
• Updated: 15/Jan/09 22:15
• Resolved: 05/Jan/09 20:19

Description

Having the repr return the repr of _dict_ is confusing, because the object is not a dict and does not act (much) like one. 100% of the 3 python developers I have seen who are new to thrift were confused at first why the repr looked like a dict but obj[attributename] raised KeyError. Additionally, this violates the repr guideline that where possible eval(repr(obj)) == obj.

Finally, specifying a _str_ equal to _repr_ is redundant, since str() will use _repr_ if no _str_ is given.

Here is a patch:

$ diff -u compiler/cpp/src/generate/t_py_generator.cc.old compiler/cpp/sr\
c/generate/t_py_generator.cc
— compiler/cpp/src/generate/t_py_generator.cc.old 2008-12-24 16:36:54.000000000 +0000
+++ compiler/cpp/src/generate/t_py_generator.cc 2008-12-24 16:49:54.000000000 +0000
@@ -614,11 +614,10 @@
// Printing utilities so that on the command line thrift
// structs look pretty like dictionaries
out <<

• indent() << "def _str_(self):" << endl <<
• indent() << " return str(self._dict_)" << endl <<
• endl <<
  indent() << "def _repr_(self):" << endl <<
• indent() << " return repr(self._dict_)" << endl <<
  + indent() << " L = ['%s=%r' % (key, value)" << endl <<
  + indent() << " for key, value in self._dict_.iteritems()]" << endl <<
  + indent() << " return '%s(%s)' % (self._class.name_, ', '.join(L))" << endl <<
  endl;

// Equality and inequality methods that compare by value