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<H2><A NAME="SECTION007260000000000000000"></A>
<BR>
5.2.6 String conversions
</H2>
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<P>
A string conversion is an expression list enclosed in reverse (a.k.a.
backward) quotes:

<P>
<dl><dd><pre class=verbatim>
string_conversion: "`" expression_list "`"
</pre></dl>

<P>
A string conversion evaluates the contained expression list and
converts the resulting object into a string according to rules
specific to its type.

<P>
If the object is a string, a number, <tt>None</tt>, or a tuple, list or
dictionary containing only objects whose type is one of these, the
resulting string is a valid Python expression which can be passed to
the built-in function <tt class=function>eval()</tt> to yield an expression with the
same value (or an approximation, if floating point numbers are
involved).

<P>
(In particular, converting a string adds quotes around it and converts
``funny'' characters to escape sequences that are safe to print.)

<P>
It is illegal to attempt to convert recursive objects (e.g., lists or
dictionaries that contain a reference to themselves, directly or
indirectly.)
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<P>
The built-in function <tt class=function>repr()</tt> performs exactly the same
conversion in its argument as enclosing it in parentheses and reverse
quotes does.  The built-in function <tt class=function>str()</tt> performs a
similar but more user-friendly conversion.
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