complex() bug or feature?

[Michael Hudson]

Carsten Gaebler <clpy at snakefarm.org> writes:

> Hi there,
> 
> is this the way complex() is supposed to work?

I doubt it.

> Python 2.2b1 (#2, Oct 22 2001, 10:47:30) 
> [GCC 2.95.2 20000220 (Debian GNU/Linux)] on linux2
> Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
> >>> complex('1', '1')
> (1+0j)
> >>> 
> 
> If complex() allows stings as arguments (like float()), what's
> happened to the imaginary part?

According to the docs, this is in error:

,--http://python.sourceforge.net/devel-docs/lib/built-in-funcs.html---
| complex(real[, imag])
|    Create a complex number with the value real + imag*j or convert a
|    string or number to a complex number. Each argument may be any
|    numeric type (including complex). If imag is omitted, it defaults
|    to zero and the function serves as a numeric conversion function
|    like int(), long() and float(); in this case it also accepts a
|    string argument which should be a valid complex number.
`---------------------------------------------------------------------

I read that to mean that if the first arg is a string, it should be
the only arg.  The code simply ignores imag if real is a string.  Do
you want to open a bug, or shall I?

Cheers,
M.

-- 
  > Look I don't know.  Thankyou everyone for arguing me round in
  > circles.
  No need for thanks, ma'am; that's what we're here for.
                                    -- LNR & Michael M Mason, cam.misc