pprint should (optionally) use str

[warsaw]

BPO	505152
Nosy	@freddrake, @warsaw

^{Note: these values reflect the state of the issue at the time it was migrated and might not reflect the current state.}

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GitHub fields:

assignee = 'https://github.com/freddrake'
closed_at = <Date 2002-04-02.05:15:45.000>
created_at = <Date 2002-01-17.23:15:58.000>
labels = ['library']
title = 'pprint should (optionally) use str'
updated_at = <Date 2002-04-02.05:15:45.000>
user = 'https://github.com/warsaw'

bugs.python.org fields:

activity = <Date 2002-04-02.05:15:45.000>
actor = 'barry'
assignee = 'fdrake'
closed = True
closed_date = None
closer = None
components = ['Library (Lib)']
creation = <Date 2002-01-17.23:15:58.000>
creator = 'barry'
dependencies = []
files = []
hgrepos = []
issue_num = 505152
keywords = []
message_count = 3.0
messages = ['8832', '8833', '8834']
nosy_count = 2.0
nosy_names = ['fdrake', 'barry']
pr_nums = []
priority = 'normal'
resolution = 'rejected'
stage = None
status = 'closed'
superseder = None
type = None
url = 'https://bugs.python.org/issue505152'
versions = ['Python 2.3']

[warsaw]

pprint.pprint() uses repr to display an object.
However I think it's at least as likely that pretty
printing would be used as a human debugging tool rather
than for generating a string "which can be used as
input to the interpreter".

pprint.pprint() -- and PrettyPrinter.pprint() should
optionally use str() to print a human readable
representation of the object.

[freddrake]

Logged In: YES
user_id=3066

The usefulness of str() seems questionable; if the issue is
debugging, repr()-like presentation seems to make more
sense. I do think the pretty-printer should be configurable
(via subclassing at least).

I've checked in an attempt to make it easier to change the
machinery use, but I'm not sure this is really the right change.

I'm closing the bug report as vague, but am interested in
suggestions for improving the pprint module.

[warsaw]

Logged In: YES
user_id=12800

I'll make two points. First, the pprint module
documentation should clearly state that repr() is used
instead of str(). It seems vague to me.

Second, perhaps we should add a pprint.sprint() to use str()
instead of repr(). I don't think the class needs to be
derivable, since other than str and repr, I can't think of
what you'd want to pretty print about an object. :)