iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Ned Batchelder @nedbat.com · 25/10/2025

I'm writing letters to defend democracy, how are you spending your day? votefwd.org

A stack of stamped envelopes, ready for mailing

Ned Batchelder @nedbat.com · 07/08/2025

Every puzzle contains another puzzle: how was it constructed? The game Flow Free asks you to find the paths to connect same-colored dots on a grid. How are these layouts created?

A hexagonal grid with tightly-packed paths connecting same-colored dots.

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Ned Batchelder @nedbat.com · 02/04/2025

Want a concise daily digest of issue and pull request activity from your GitHub repos? Try Dinghy: pypi.org/project/ding...

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Ned Batchelder @nedbat.com · 25/03/2025

My watchgha lets you watch the progress of GitHub Actions in your terminal. Now the job names are sorted, since GitHub now returns them in a randomish order. github.com/nedbat/watch...

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Ned Batchelder @nedbat.com · 18/01/2025

In #Python, @classmethod can used to create alternate constructors for making objects in other ways. Here's a simple example:

An example class called Pet with an alternate constructor. Full text at https://gist.github.com/nedbat/b83352b2e20e0dc297ea99a37e172a8c

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Ned Batchelder @nedbat.com · 13/01/2025

Comparison operators in #Python can be chained together, but using them that way could be controversial. I wrote this this other day:

Checking two variable are equal and not zero: n_passed == n_tests != 0. Full text at https://gist.github.com/nedbat/6f92fe29bdb47c0a36be0d29f5dd92ae

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Ned Batchelder @nedbat.com · 09/01/2025

Years ago, I tried ads on my site. My business card cube page got some attention, so I had $200 revenue for the year. When my tax guy saw that, he said, "Why don't you just make 1000 sites?" He was ahead of his time... nedbatchelder.com/text/cardcub...

Visual steps to assemble a six-card cube.

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Ned Batchelder @nedbat.com · 08/01/2025

Wow, Apple somehow added a notification with a circle-x close button that literally does not work, and the thing appears on every video call:

"Turn On Reactions" pop-up: "Google Chrome has turned off reaction effects..." etc.

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Ned Batchelder @nedbat.com · 12/12/2024

Is this #Python too compact? Perhaps, but there could be useful things to learn. Full explanation unpacked at nedbatchelder.com/blog/201802/...

A Python function to unpack ranges like "1-5,7,9,10-13" into a list of numbers. Full text at https://gist.github.com/nedbat/01fe96aac4a7d35bbd95e0fe9d5c6649

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Ned Batchelder @nedbat.com · 11/12/2024

After I posted, I saw that the browser has to be nearly full-width on my laptop for it to display.

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Ned Batchelder @nedbat.com · 06/12/2024

Splitting a string once in #Python: .split() has maxsplit=, but .partition() can be better:

Demonstrating how to split a string just once with .split(maxsplit=), and with .partition(). Full text at https://gist.github.com/nedbat/93ff430f32231361ad0910433cc2c430

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Ned Batchelder @nedbat.com · 04/12/2024

I got a lot of replies with suggestions, so here are more #Python expressions to check if a (possibly empty) string has only 0's and 1's in it:

More Python expressions. Full text at https://gist.github.com/nedbat/d224e99e3b88a6484715cc5318e2b104

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Ned Batchelder @nedbat.com · 01/12/2024

You can write short powerful #Python expressions using its many tools. Are there other ways to check if a string contains only "0" or "1"?

Six different Python checks of a string. Full text at https://gist.github.com/nedbat/5e7c0874df2134f101e8331d3f7c6d5c

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Ned Batchelder @nedbat.com · 26/11/2024

Are you using #Python 3.11 yet? It's been out for two years! Maybe this will entice you: better error messages!

Showing 3.10 and 3.11 with the same error. 3.11 pinpoints the problem. Full text at https://gist.github.com/3a186827ac8bdfa08f34d36b9fce48dc

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Ned Batchelder @nedbat.com · 24/11/2024

Classes in #Python can define their own formatting mini-languages for f-strings by defining __format__. Full details: nedbatchelder.com/blog/202204/...

A latitude/longitude class that can be formatted in various ways. Full text at https://gist.github.com/nedbat/4deeb3c4277bb29bf55bf5fb1d11b33e

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Ned Batchelder @nedbat.com · 23/11/2024

But "charging" is still black/white with a symbol. Why take yellow from iPhone and not the rest of the design (green for charging)? This just seems dumb.

A macOS menu bar showing the battery charging with a lightning bolt symbol.

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Ned Batchelder @nedbat.com · 23/11/2024

Who at Apple thought low-power mode in Sequoia should be represented by yellow in the all-monochrome menu bar? Yellow means low power (a good thing)? Yellow on white? wtf?

Part of the macOS menu bar with the battery level indicated by a yellow-filled rectangle.

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Ned Batchelder @nedbat.com · 22/11/2024

What if you want space around the word before centering? Is #Python letting me take this too far? Nested f-strings!?

Adding spaces around a word before centering it in equals signs. Full text at https://gist.github.com/nedbat/fa35b505438146816851f9836fd2593c

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Ned Batchelder @nedbat.com · 21/11/2024

Also: you can also use variables (or expressions?!) for the formatting information! #Python is cool... More details and explanation at fstring.help

Showing using variables for the character and width specification in the format. Full text at https://gist.github.com/nedbat/db70d4cc6f16e88a33889ec113dcbe4d

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Ned Batchelder @nedbat.com · 21/11/2024

String formatting in #Python lets you left-, right-, or center-justify a value. You can specify the fill character to use. The syntax is colon, fill-char, <^>, width:

Demonstrating string formatting with right-, left-, and center-aligned text and custom fill characters. Full text at https://gist.github.com/nedbat/9a29a7e0f8091844d65f5ca433612e59

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Ned Batchelder @nedbat.com · 17/11/2024

For loops in #Python can assign to more than just plain names. Any assignment target is allowed:

Using `for params["page"] in ...` to move through paged results in a search API. Full text at https://gist.github.com/nedbat/d04b7d1bef5fb84542f23126424c814c

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Ned Batchelder @nedbat.com · 11/11/2024

#Python primitives are powerful tools that can combine to get a lot done with just a little code. The dict() constructor can make a dict from key/value pairs:

dict() takes pairs, and .split() can make pairs. Combine them to parse a string of options. Full text at https://gist.github.com/0e053c8c23de3e6bc83727d3cd94240e

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Ned Batchelder @nedbat.com · 04/11/2024

Nested loops can sometimes be replaced by one itertools.product() from the #Python stdlib:

Examples of using itertools.product, including a graphic output of occurrences of dice totals. Full text at https://gist.github.com/nedbat/92eca8c3edd1066e366c46817653ba78

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Ned Batchelder @nedbat.com · 29/10/2024

In #Python, dicts can have tuples as keys. Consider a dict with (x,y) keys instead of nested lists for a grid. It simplifies sparse grids, "resizes" are automatic, it doesn't matter where (0,0) is, and you can use negative positions:

A dict with (x,y) keys, printed out as a 2D board. Full text at https://gist.github.com/10c1f9a412abbd1edd21c4e55bddc5eb

More added to the board, without worrying about size or position. Full text at https://gist.github.com/nedbat/10c1f9a412abbd1edd21c4e55bddc5eb

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Ned Batchelder @nedbat.com · 26/10/2024

"WAIT: Why am I talking" #PyCon #PyConAPAC #python by hachyderm.io/@georgically... hachyderm.io/@pypodcats@f...

A flowchart entitled "WAIT: Why Am I Talking" that encourages you to not talk.

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Ned Batchelder @nedbat.com · 23/10/2024

Be careful in #Python when trying to compare object methods... "Bound method" objects are made anew each time, and reference the object and the function.

Python example of comparing object methods that doesn't work as you expect. Full text at https://gist.github.com/nedbat/6895cbc5754ec7166ac074430f48de71

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Ned Batchelder @nedbat.com · 17/09/2024

A list of commits is not a changelog.

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Ned Batchelder @nedbat.com · 30/11/2023

Mutable default values in #Python surprise people, but it's right there in the name: value, not expression. nedbatchelder.com/blog/202311/...

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