evalstr

[Shannon --jj Behrens]

Hello All,

I wrote a useful C module for doing string
interpolation.  I find it indespensible when working
with large blocks of triple-quoted text.  When working
with large blocks of triple-quoted text, nothing else
is quite as convenient.  Here's the Python doc:

    """Evaluate a string with embedded python
expressions.

    This is a Python version of the function evalstr,
which is used for
    variable interpolation.

    For instance,

        a = 5
        evalStr("I have $a$ dogs.")

    will return

        "I have 5 dogs."

    The code between the $'s can be any valid Python
expression.  I'll just
    basically do

        str(eval(expression), yourGlobals, yourLocals)

    Since eval is being used, the expression must
return some value.  To escape
    $'s in s, just use $$ (even within expressions). 
To use a different
    character than $, pass the desired character in
the second (optional)
    argument.  If there are an odd number of $
symbols, a ValueError exception
    will be raised.  Here are some additional examples
(assuming a = 5):

    "My dog is $a$ years old." -> "My dog is 5 years
old.",
    "I have $$5.00" -> "I have $5.00",
    "My $a$ year old dog has $$5.00" -> "My 5 year old
dog has $5.00",
    "My dog has $'$$%s.' % a$" -> "My dog has $5.",
    "My dog has $'$$' + str(a) + '.'" -> ValueError
exception,
    "My dog is $a$.$" -> ValueError exception,
    "$$ is a char." -> "$ is a char.",
    "$a$ is a number." -> "5 is a number.",
    "$a$" -> "5",
    "$a" -> ValueError exception,
    "I have a $$" -> "I have a $",
    "" -> "",
    "Spam" -> "Spam",
    "$" -> ValueError exception,
    "$ evalstr('I am #a#.', '#') $" -> "I am 5."

    """

Please forgive my arrogance, but I think that it might
even be useful enough to be included as a standard
module.  If, not perhaps you guys might have some
suggestions as to what I can do with it.  You may
download the entire packages from:

<http://ironorchid.com/jjinux/evalstr.tar.gz>

Cheers,
-jj

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