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Groups > comp.lang.python > #63444

Re: Bytes indexing returns an int

Date 2014-01-07 09:02 -0800
From Ethan Furman <ethan@stoneleaf.us>
Subject Re: Bytes indexing returns an int
References <52cbe15a$0$29993$c3e8da3$5496439d@news.astraweb.com> <CAF3XjbweCcbNE7Lb+JVXdThPj=jfqUChMEmB6CVOqxjh6TEvcA@mail.gmail.com>
Newsgroups comp.lang.python
Message-ID <mailman.5146.1389117017.18130.python-list@python.org> (permalink)

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On 01/07/2014 07:19 AM, David Robinow wrote:
>
> Python 3 grudgingly allows the "abomination" of byte strings (is that
> what they're called?)

No, that is *not* what they're called.  If you find any place in the Python3 docs that does call them bytestrings please 
submit a bug report.


On 01/07/2014 08:12 AM, Steven D'Aprano wrote:
> People trying to port these libraries from 2.7 to 3 run into this problem,
> and it causes them grief. This little difference between bytes in 2.7 and
> bytes in 3.x is a point of friction which makes porting harder, and I'm
> trying to understand the reason for it.

If I recall correctly the way it was explained to me:

bytes (lists, arrays, etc.) is a container, and when a container is indexed you get whatever the container held.  If you 
slice the container you get a smaller container with the appropriate items.

bytes (and bytearrays) are containers of ints, so indexing returns an int.  One big problem with this whole scenario is 
that bytes then lies about what it contains.  (And I hate lies! [1])

Anyway, I believe that's the rationale behind the change.

--
~Ethan~

[1] http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3ts325

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Thread

Bytes indexing returns an int Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2014-01-07 22:13 +1100
  Re: Bytes indexing returns an int Ervin Hegedüs <airween@gmail.com> - 2014-01-07 12:53 +0100
    Re: Bytes indexing returns an int Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2014-01-07 23:04 +1100
  Re: Bytes indexing returns an int Terry Reedy <tjreedy@udel.edu> - 2014-01-07 09:29 -0500
  Re: Bytes indexing returns an int David Robinow <drobinow@gmail.com> - 2014-01-07 10:19 -0500
    Re: Bytes indexing returns an int Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2014-01-08 03:12 +1100
      Re: Bytes indexing returns an int Serhiy Storchaka <storchaka@gmail.com> - 2014-01-07 21:48 +0200
      Re: Bytes indexing returns an int Robin Becker <robin@reportlab.com> - 2014-01-08 11:05 +0000
        Re: Bytes indexing returns an int wxjmfauth@gmail.com - 2014-01-08 08:08 -0800
          Re: Bytes indexing returns an int Ned Batchelder <ned@nedbatchelder.com> - 2014-01-08 12:19 -0500
            Re: Bytes indexing returns an int Piet van Oostrum <piet@vanoostrum.org> - 2014-01-09 18:05 +0100
              Re: Bytes indexing returns an int Ethan Furman <ethan@stoneleaf.us> - 2014-01-09 09:28 -0800
              Re: Bytes indexing returns an int Serhiy Storchaka <storchaka@gmail.com> - 2014-01-09 21:36 +0200
          Re: Bytes indexing returns an int Michael Torrie <torriem@gmail.com> - 2014-01-08 10:25 -0700
  Re: Bytes indexing returns an int David Robinow <drobinow@gmail.com> - 2014-01-07 10:23 -0500
  Re: Bytes indexing returns an int Ethan Furman <ethan@stoneleaf.us> - 2014-01-07 09:02 -0800
    Re: Bytes indexing returns an int Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2014-01-08 11:15 +1100
      Re: Bytes indexing returns an int Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2014-01-08 11:30 +1100
        Re: Bytes indexing returns an int Grant Edwards <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2014-01-08 02:34 +0000
          Re: Bytes indexing returns an int Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2014-01-08 14:46 +1100
      Re: Bytes indexing returns an int Ethan Furman <ethan@stoneleaf.us> - 2014-01-07 16:37 -0800

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