Path: csiph.com!x330-a1.tempe.blueboxinc.net!usenet.pasdenom.info!weretis.net!feeder4.news.weretis.net!ecngs!feeder2.ecngs.de!newsfeed.freenet.ag!news2.euro.net!newsgate.cistron.nl!newsgate.news.xs4all.nl!post.news.xs4all.nl!not-for-mail Return-Path: X-Original-To: python-list@python.org Delivered-To: python-list@mail.python.org X-Spam-Status: OK 0.001 X-Spam-Evidence: '*H*': 1.00; '*S*': 0.00; 'mrab': 0.04; 'from:addr:ethan': 0.09; 'from:addr:stoneleaf.us': 0.09; 'from:name:ethan furman': 0.09; 'message-id:@stoneleaf.us': 0.09; 'received:gator410.hostgator.com': 0.09; '~ethan~': 0.09; 'converting': 0.15; "'a'": 0.16; "(i'll": 0.16; 'bit.': 0.16; 'comma': 0.16; 'comma,': 0.16; "doesn't.": 0.16; 'handle,': 0.16; 'iterator': 0.16; 'iterators,': 0.16; 'received:72.11': 0.16; 'received:72.11.125': 0.16; 'received:72.11.125.166': 0.16; 'roy': 0.16; 'settle': 0.16; 'wrote:': 0.18; 'string,': 0.18; 'seems': 0.20; 'header:In-Reply-To:1': 0.22; '(where': 0.23; 'code': 0.25; 'bit': 0.28; 'odd': 0.29; 'handling': 0.30; "i've": 0.31; 'list': 0.32; 'pretty': 0.32; 'header:User-Agent:1': 0.33; 'instead': 0.33; 'there': 0.33; 'it?': 0.33; 'to:addr:python-list': 0.34; 'running': 0.35; 'especially': 0.35; 'subject:How': 0.35; 'beginning': 0.36; 'conjunction': 0.37; 'but': 0.37; 'list,': 0.37; "there's": 0.37; 'some': 0.38; 'why': 0.39; "it's": 0.40; 'to:addr:python.org': 0.40; 'more': 0.61; 'kind': 0.61; 'below': 0.63; 'received:websitewelcome.com': 0.64; 'received:184': 0.67; 'special': 0.68; 'suggests.': 0.84 Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:19:51 -0800 From: Ethan Furman User-Agent: Thunderbird 1.5.0.10 (Windows/20070221) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Python Subject: Re: How to generate "a, b, c, and d"? References: <9393353.282.1323967703697.JavaMail.geo-discussion-forums@vbyc2> <4EEA35F8.4090502@tim.thechases.com> In-Reply-To: <4EEA35F8.4090502@tim.thechases.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-AntiAbuse: This header was added to track abuse, please include it with any abuse report X-AntiAbuse: Primary Hostname - gator410.hostgator.com X-AntiAbuse: Original Domain - python.org X-AntiAbuse: Originator/Caller UID/GID - [47 12] / [47 12] X-AntiAbuse: Sender Address Domain - stoneleaf.us X-BWhitelist: no X-Source: X-Source-Args: X-Source-Dir: X-Source-Sender: mail.admailinc.com ([192.168.10.136]) [72.11.125.166]:1774 X-Source-Auth: ethan+stoneleaf.us X-Email-Count: 1 X-Source-Cap: dG9idWs7dG9idWs7Z2F0b3I0MTAuaG9zdGdhdG9yLmNvbQ== X-BeenThere: python-list@python.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.12 Precedence: list List-Id: General discussion list for the Python programming language List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Newsgroups: comp.lang.python Message-ID: Lines: 26 NNTP-Posting-Host: 2001:888:2000:d::a6 X-Trace: 1323974099 news.xs4all.nl 6844 [2001:888:2000:d::a6]:60211 X-Complaints-To: abuse@xs4all.nl Xref: x330-a1.tempe.blueboxinc.net comp.lang.python:17302 Tim Chase wrote: > On 12/15/11 10:48, Roy Smith wrote: >> I've got a list, ['a', 'b', 'c', 'd']. I want to generate the string, >> "a, b, c, and d" (I'll settle for no comma after 'c'). Is there some >> standard way to do this, handling all the special cases? >> >> [] ==> '' >> ['a'] ==> 'a' >> ['a', 'b'] ==> 'a and b' >> ['a', 'b', 'c', 'd'] ==> 'a, b, and c' >> >> It seems like the kind of thing django.contrib.humanize would handle, >> but alas, it doesn't. > > If you have a list, it's pretty easy as MRAB suggests. For arbitrary > iterators, it's a bit more complex. Especially with the odd edge-case > of 2 items where there's no comma before the conjunction (where >2 has > the comma before the conjunction). If you were willing to forgo the > Oxford comma, it would tidy up the code a bit. Sample code below Why go through all that instead of just converting the iterator into a list at the beginning of MRAB's solution and then running with it? ~Ethan~