How to add inline comments to multiline string assignments in python

Question

How to add comments to multiline assignments in python, as is possible in C with the syntax:

char sc[] = "\x31\xdb"                  /* xor %ebx, %ebx       */
            "\x31\xc9"                  /* xor %ecx, %ecx       */
            "\xb8\x46\x00\x00\x00"      /* mov $0x46, %eax      */
            "\xcd\x80"                  /* int $0x80            */
            "\x31\xdb"                  /* xor %ebx, %ebx       */
            "\xb8\x01\x00\x00\x00"      /* mov $0x1, %eax       */
            "\xcd\x80";                 /* int $0x80            */

but the same in python, using escaped line breaks

sc = "\x31\xdb" \   # xor %ebx, %ebx
     "\x31\xc9" \   # xor %ecx, %ecx
     "…"

I don't get what the question/problem is. The latter syntax looks as valid Python comment syntax. It's the line continuation that's wrong. — millimoose
– millimoose, Commented Feb 8, 2013 at 19:12
It is a real question. I understand what he is asking. He is asking for a way to put a comment in the middle of a (continued) line. As can be done with a block comment in C/C++. There is no such feature in python, so the only solution (and it is a good one) is to bracket the code with parentheses, as in the accepted answer. NOTE: Triple quotes can sort-of be used as block comments in python, but only on a separate line: if do """is this a comment?""" at end of line (before backslash), it will be treated as a string in the code. In this code, would be appended to the desired string. — ToolmakerSteve
– ToolmakerSteve, Commented Dec 8, 2013 at 0:56

Pavel Anossov · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-08 19:12:31Z

30

You can write

sc = ("\x31\xdb"      # xor %ebx, %ebx
      "\x31\xc9"      # xor %ecx, %ecx
      "…")

if you want.

answered Feb 8, 2013 at 19:12

Pavel Anossov

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5 Comments

Gareth Latty Over a year ago

+1, Using brackets to get implied line continuation is the best option here.

millimoose Over a year ago

@Lattyware Or anywhere really. Backslash line continuations are Weird And Fiddly (tm).

millimoose Over a year ago

(And you lose editor highlighting that tells you where the line really ends.)

gcb Over a year ago

the reason it does not work as on the question is because the \ escapes the line break. but if you put a space to add a comment, now the \ escapes the space. which does nothing. the solution here keeps the list open until the ) is seen, which can happen on several lines. on python, the start of a comment is threated as a (unescapable) line break. in fact, the C code only works because it is expecting the ; as well.

Learner Over a year ago

In fact it is a heck?

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