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I hate having to format questions around here. Adding four spaces to each source file and the correct name at the top of each source file becomes a headache when I have to post longer questions.

This is a simple python question parser that takes in arguments from the console and prints out correct format for a CodeReview question. Any suggestions on how to make this code more readable, concise and pythonic would be appreciated.

Question Parser.py

import os
import sys
import argparse

def format_string(PATH,EXTENSION):
    source_files=[f for f in os.listdir(PATH) if os.path.isfile(os.path.join(PATH,f))]
    source_files=[f for f in source_files if f.endswith(EXTENSION)]

    indentation=4
    formatted_string=""
    for source_file in source_files:
        formatted_string+= ("**%s**\n\n" % source_file)
        with open(os.path.join(PATH,source_file)) as source:
            for line in source.readlines():
                formatted_string+=(" "*indentation+"".join(line))

    return formatted_string



if __name__=="__main__":
    parser=argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Automatic formatter for CodeReview Stackexchange Questions")
    parser.add_argument("-p","--path",help="Path for the source files. Default is the current directory",nargs="?",default=os.getcwd(),const=os.getcwd()) 
    parser.add_argument("header",help="The file that is added to the top of the question")
    parser.add_argument("-e","--extension",help="Filter by the type of source files that is present in the directory",nargs="+",default="")
    parser.add_argument("-o","--out",help="Output the result to a file. By default outputs to the console.",nargs="?")
    args=parser.parse_args()

    if not os.path.isfile(args.header):
        raise parser.error("Header file doesnot exist.\nPlease specify a correct header file path")

    if os.path.exists(args.path):
        question="".join(open(args.header).readlines())
        question+="\n"+format_string(args.path,tuple(args.extension,))
        if not (args.out==None):
            with open(args.out,"w") as outfile:
                outfile.write(question)
        else:
            print(question)

    else:
        raise parser.error("Path doesnot exist.")
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1 Answer 1

Reset to default
7
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PEP 8

I would review PEP 8. Some of your style choices are not considered best practice by the Python community. Some quick observations:

  1. Constants are given CAPS_WITH_UNDERSCORES. Not function/method parameters. PATH should be path for instance.
  2. There is a space between the binary operators (there are, however, some exceptions: see Other Recommendations). So, for instance: indentation=4 should be indentation = 4.
  3. Instead of if not (args.out==None):, You should do if args.out is not None: (See Programming Recommendations)
  4. I would advise making a main function. Yes if __name__ == '__main__': is a start but I would recommend having a main function (see this answer, in particular the section "An Even Better Way"):

--

def main():        
    parser=argparse.ArgumentParser(...)
    ...

if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()
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