[Python-Dev] Cost-Free Slice into FromString constructors--Long

[Sean Reifschneider]

On Thu, May 25, 2006 at 03:01:36PM +0000, Runar Petursson wrote:
>simply limit the scope of the parsing.  There are other solutions, using
>buffer-like objects and such, but this seems like a simple win for anyone
>parsing a lot of text.  I implemented it in a branch  

I'll expand on that a little bit, since I talked to Runar yesterday about
it.  My original blurb on the #nfs IRC channel was that this would seem to
have the "camel's nose under the tent" problem, that once this is in you
probably want it in lots of other places where slices may be used.  Another
interface would be to have something like a lazy string slice that
functions that understood it could directly in C operate on the sub-buffer,
and oblivious functions would have to create a new slice.

Later, John showed Martin and I the Java byte buffer class, and Martin is
working on that now.  This would probably provide a solution.  The Java
interface allows you to push a new start and end, and the buffer then acts
like it's the string in that range.  Useful for parsing without having to
create new objects in a tight loop.

Conversion functions taking a start and end are the low-hanging fruit, but
I think in the long term something that does that described I would prefer.
I believe that Martin is expecting expecting to have something this week
to try.

Thanks,
Sean
-- 
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Sean Reifschneider, Member of Technical Staff <jafo at tummy.com>