Converting a varargs tuple to a list - a definite pitfall for new comers to Python

[metaperl.etc at gmail.com]

The following program does not work if you uncomment     #lis =
["xmms2"] + list(args)

Evidently Python is opting for the nullary constructor list() as
opposed to the other one which takes a sequence. But no newcomer would
know this. And the Python docs dont give a good example of dealing with
taking a sequence of args and converting it to a list.

I must've spent 40 minutes looking through my ora books, googling and
irc'ing in vane on this.

import subprocess

def xmms2(*args):
    #lis = ["xmms2"] + list(args)
    lis = ["xmms2"] + [a for a in args]
    output = subprocess.Popen(lis,
stdout=subprocess.PIPE).communicate()[0]
    return output.splitlines()

def list():
    lis = xmms2('list')
    playtime_str = lis.pop()
    (total, playtime, time_str) = playtime_str.split()
    (h,m,s) = time_str.split(':')
    lis.pop()
    return dict( playlist = lis, playtime = (int(h), int(m), int(s)) )

if __name__ == '__main__':
    list()