[Python-ideas] 1_000_000

Ethan Furman ethan at stoneleaf.us
Sat May 7 00:40:06 CEST 2011


Bruce Leban wrote:
> None of these answers address the original suggestion. Matt didn't say 
> that he only wanted this for numbers of the form 10^N; he just gave that 
> as an example.
> 
> Consider these examples instead:
> 
>     * 1_234_000
>     * 9.876_543_210
>     * 0xFEFF_0042
> 
> I'm not advocating this change (nor against it); I just think the 
> discussion should be focused on the actual idea. I do have a question:
> 
> Is _ just ignored in numbers or are there more complex rules?
> 
>     * 1_2345_6789  (can I use groups of other sizes instead?)
>     * 1_2_3_4_5  (ditto)
>     * 1_234_6789  (do all the groups need to be the same size?)
>     * 1_   (must the _ only be in between 2 digits?)
>     * 1__234   (what about multiple _s?)
>     * 9.876_543_210   (can it be used to the right of the decimal point?)
>     * 0xFEFF_0042   (can it be used in hex, octal or binary numbers?)
>     * int('123_456')   (do other functions accept this syntax too?)

I would say it's ignored.  Have the rule be something like 
number_string.replace('_','').

The only wrinkle is that currently '_1' is usable name, and that should 
probably be disallowed if the above change took place.

I'm +1 on the idea.

~Ethan~



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