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A useful output object that can 'print' to various places (stdout, loggign file and potentially to a window as well) using a single command. Built to be used in conjunction with the ConfigObj - simpel config file parser.

maintained at http://www.voidspace.org.uk/atlantibots/pythonutils.html

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# 09-01-04
#v1.0.1
#

#
# Prints output to the screen and/or
# logs it to a file - depending on the settings.
#
# Prints output to the screen and/or
# logs it to a file - depending on the settings.
#
# To use this function you need to include verbose (yes if you want to print to screen), 'outputpath' (filename)
# ('' if you don't want to output to a file) and 'logmode'( (w)rite or (a)ppend )
#
# If passed in an alternative method for printing (newfunc) it can also output using that method !
# This method can be created at any time.
# Usage :
# verbose = 'Yes' # to print to screen 
# outputpath = 'system/logfile.txt' # logfile to print to, or '' for no logging
# logmode = 'w' # the mode to open the logfile in - 'w' for write or 'a' for append
#
# from standout import StandOut
# stout = StandOut(verbose, outputpath, logmode, newfunc=None)
# stout.out('message line\n') # this line prints to the screen and adds a line to logfile.txt
# stout.close() # closes the logging file
# stout.verbose = 'No' # Switches printing off
# stout.newfunc = printtowindow # sets an additional printing function
# stout.newfile(outputpath, logmode) # sets a file to log to if the object was originally created without one


class StandOut:
    "Creates an output object that will print *and/or* write to an output file if required."
    def __init__(self,verbose,outputpath,logmode, newfunc=None):
        self.verbose=verbose.lower().strip()
        if logmode=='a' and outputpath !='':      # are we appending or creating a newfile ?
            self.outputfile=open(outputpath,'a')
            self.putout('\n\n')
        elif outputpath != '':
            self.outputfile=open(outputpath,'w')
        else:
            self.outputfile=''
        self.newfunc = newfunc

    def out(self,line):
        if self.verbose=='yes':
            print line,
        if self.outputfile:
            self.outputfile.write(line)
        if self.newfunc:
            self.newfunc(line)
            
    def close(self):
        if self.outputfile != '':
            self.outputfile.close()
            self.outputfile = ''

    def newfile(self, outputpath,logmode):
        """Use this method for adding a file after creating the object without one."""
        if logmode=='a' and outputpath !='':      # are we appending or creating a newfile ?
            self.outputfile=open(outputpath,'a')
            self.putout('\n\n')
        elif outputpath != '':
            self.outputfile=open(outputpath,'w')

Some times you want output to go to more than one place, maybe logged to a file and displayed on screen.

This little object allows you to do that using only one command. Also - if your functions use this object to send their output to, if you change your program (e.g. from command line to GUI) you don't have to change the way your functions output results - just pass your new function to display information when you create the object and it will use that.

1 comment

Michael Foord (author) 19 years, 11 months ago  # | flag

New Version Available. There's a new version of StandOut available at : http://www.voidspace.org.uk/atlantibots/pythonutils.html

It's much more powerful and useful - but the code is 16k so I don't think I'll post it here.

It works by diverting sys.stdout - so messages/logging can be done with normal print statements. In addition, varying levels of 'verbosity' can be specified (by you or your user) and messages assigned a priority... (only messages of a high enough priority will be displayed or logged).

Created by Michael Foord on Fri, 9 Jan 2004 (PSF)
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