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Wrote text for features added between 2.0b1 and b2.

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Minor rewrites, and added the CVS ID in a comment.
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Andrew M. Kuchling 2000-09-27 01:33:41 +00:00
parent 118ee9680e
commit 3ad4e74870
1 changed files with 34 additions and 7 deletions
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Doc/whatsnew/whatsnew20.tex
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@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
\documentclass{howto} \documentclass{howto}
% $Id$
\title{What's New in Python 2.0} \title{What's New in Python 2.0}
\release{0.05} \release{0.05}
\author{A.M. Kuchling and Moshe Zadka} \author{A.M. Kuchling and Moshe Zadka}
@ -114,6 +116,13 @@ value causes an exception to be raised on any encoding error, while
\code{'replace'} uses U+FFFD, the official replacement character, in \code{'replace'} uses U+FFFD, the official replacement character, in
case of any problems. case of any problems.
\item The \keyword{exec} statement, and various built-ins such as
\code{eval()}, \code{getattr()}, and \code{setattr()} will also
accept Unicode strings as well as regular strings. (It's possible
that the process of fixing this missed some built-ins; if you find a
built-in function that accepts strings but doesn't accept Unicode
strings at all, please report it as a bug.)
\end{itemize} \end{itemize}
A new module, \module{unicodedata}, provides an interface to Unicode A new module, \module{unicodedata}, provides an interface to Unicode
@ -141,7 +150,7 @@ how much of the Unicode string was converted.
an 8-bit string and returning a 2-tuple \code{(\var{ustring}, an 8-bit string and returning a 2-tuple \code{(\var{ustring},
\var{length})}, consisting of the resulting Unicode string \var{length})}, consisting of the resulting Unicode string
\var{ustring} and the integer \var{length} telling how much of the \var{ustring} and the integer \var{length} telling how much of the
string was consumed. 8-bit string was consumed.
\item \var{stream_reader} is a class that supports decoding input from \item \var{stream_reader} is a class that supports decoding input from
a stream. \var{stream_reader(\var{file_obj})} returns an object that a stream. \var{stream_reader(\var{file_obj})} returns an object that
@ -670,8 +679,11 @@ the result to multiply a sequence or slice a string, but this raised a
or slice a sequence, and it'll behave as you'd intuitively expect it or slice a sequence, and it'll behave as you'd intuitively expect it
to; \code{3L * 'abc'} produces 'abcabcabc', and \code{ to; \code{3L * 'abc'} produces 'abcabcabc', and \code{
(0,1,2,3)[2L:4L]} produces (2,3). Long integers can also be used in (0,1,2,3)[2L:4L]} produces (2,3). Long integers can also be used in
various new places where previously only integers were accepted, such various contexts where previously only integers were accepted, such
as in the \method{seek()} method of file objects. as in the \method{seek()} method of file objects, and in the formats
supported by the \verb|%| operator (\verb|%d|, \verb|%i|, \verb|%x|,
etc.). For example, \code{"\%d" \% 2L**64} will produce the string
\samp{18446744073709551616}.
The subtlest long integer change of all is that the \function{str()} The subtlest long integer change of all is that the \function{str()}
of a long integer no longer has a trailing 'L' character, though of a long integer no longer has a trailing 'L' character, though
@ -770,9 +782,22 @@ only supports K\&R C.
Previously the Python virtual machine used 16-bit numbers in its Previously the Python virtual machine used 16-bit numbers in its
bytecode, limiting the size of source files. In particular, this bytecode, limiting the size of source files. In particular, this
affected the maximum size of literal lists and dictionaries in Python affected the maximum size of literal lists and dictionaries in Python
source; occasionally people who are generating Python code would run into this limit. source; occasionally people who are generating Python code would run
A patch by Charles G. Waldman raises the limit from \verb|2^16| to \verb|2^{32}|. into this limit. A patch by Charles G. Waldman raises the limit from
\verb|2^16| to \verb|2^{32}|.
Three new convenience functions intended for adding constants to a
module's dictionary at module initialization time were added:
\function{PyModule_AddObject()}, \function{PyModule_AddIntConstant()},
and \function{PyModule_AddStringConstant()}. Each of these functions
takes a module object, a null-terminated C string containing the name
to be added, and a third argument for the value to be assigned to the
name. This third argument is, respectively, a Python object, a C
long, or a C string.
A wrapper API was added for Unix-style signal handlers.
\function{PyOS_getsig()} gets a signal handler and
\function{PyOS_setsig()} will set a new handler.
% ====================================================================== % ======================================================================
\section{Distutils: Making Modules Easy to Install} \section{Distutils: Making Modules Easy to Install}
@ -782,8 +807,10 @@ was no way to figure out automatically where Python is installed, or
what compiler options to use for extension modules. Software authors what compiler options to use for extension modules. Software authors
had to go through an arduous ritual of editing Makefiles and had to go through an arduous ritual of editing Makefiles and
configuration files, which only really work on Unix and leave Windows configuration files, which only really work on Unix and leave Windows
and MacOS unsupported. Software users faced wildly differing and MacOS unsupported. Python users faced wildly differing
installation instructions installation instructions which varied between different extension
packages, which made adminstering a Python installation something of a
chore.
The SIG for distribution utilities, shepherded by Greg Ward, has The SIG for distribution utilities, shepherded by Greg Ward, has
created the Distutils, a system to make package installation much created the Distutils, a system to make package installation much