simulate backslash substitution identical to python parser

[Harald Kirsch]

Setting: 
A function generates a string containing a regular expression. The
string must be used in two fashions:
1) It is printed into a file which contains python code to be later
executed. 
2) It must be used immediately as a regexp.

For (1) backslashes must be escaped themselves several times, e.g.
  space1 = "\\\\s"             # space now contains two backslashes
  print "space2 = '"+space1+"'"

The resulting text contains then
  space2 = '\\s'               # (*)
and consequently variable space2 will contain just one backslash.

Question:
Given that I have space1, is there a function which does the same
translation as does the python interpreter when interpreting/compiling
the line (*) such that in this case I end up with just one backslash?

Problem: Working with raw strings is currently not an option.


Thanks,
  Harald Kirsch




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Harald Kirsch   | kirschh at lionbioscience.com | "How old is the epsilon?"
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