After reading the discussion about the same subject ( From: "Thomas Moore" <jsfrank.c...@msa.hinet.net> Date: Tue, 1 Nov 2005 21:45:56 +0800 ), I tried myself some tests with some confusing results (I'm a beginner with Python, I'm coming from PHP)
# 1. Short alpha-numeric String without space a = "b747" b = "b747" >>> a is b True # 2. Long alpha-numeric String without space a = "averylongstringbutreallyaveryveryverylongstringwithabout68characters" b = "averylongstringbutreallyaveryveryverylongstringwithabout68characters" >>> a is b True # 3. Short alpha-numeric String with space a = "x y" b = "x y" >>> a is b False # 4. Long alpha-numeric String with space a = "I love Python it s so much better than PHP but sometimes confusing" b = "I love Python it s so much better than PHP but sometimes confusing" >>> a is b False # 5. Empty String a = "" b = "" >>> a is b True # 6. Whitecharacter String : space a = " " b = " " >>> a is b False # 7. Whitecharacter String : new line a = "\n" b = "\n" >>> a is b False # 8. Non-ASCII without space a = "é" b = "é" >>> a is b False # 9. Non-ASCII with space a = "é à" b = "é à" >>> a is b False It seems that any strict ASCII alpha-numeric string is instantiated as an unique object, like a "singleton" ( a = "x" and b = "x" => a is b ) and that any non strict ASCII alpha-numeric string is instantiated as a new object every time with a new id. Conclusion : How does Python manage strings as objects? -- Avétis KAZARIAN -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
