>> Initally, a variable. self.stop_time is created as type datetime.time, >> with the default value 06:00:00, a time stamp, during entry into the >> mainloop. self.stop_time = datetime.time(10,10,10). The user reads his >> configuration file with the time stamp value of 08:00:00. self.time_stop >> becomes type string. He then goes to a dialog to change time stop, and it >> tries to access self.time_stop, and find is needs to have the attribute >> strftime, as in: >> set_loc_dict[ "stop_time" ] = self.stop_time.strftime("%H:%M:%S") >> When reading the configuration file, how do I make sure that >> self.time_stop is really has the strftime attribute? > > You already received an answer to your immediate question, but I wanted to > clarify: "strftime" is NOT an attribute, it's a method. Calling the > strftime method of a time object returns a string, formatted according to > the pattern you specify - so what you're storing as "stop_time" is not a > time, but a string.
this is a reply to both: wayne: the initial setting of self.stop_time as a datetime.time object seems to be ok, but i'm uncomfortable with the fact that after "[the] user reads his [config] file," it becomes a str. i think that the code that processes the config file should be setting self.stop_time as another datetime.time object, so that way, when you want to set the value for set_loc_dict, it would not have any problems calling its strftime() method. marc: i will slightly disagree with you with regards to strftime *not* being an attribute. it *is* an attribute, just not a *data attribute*... i call it a "function attribute," but that's just terminology. any time you have an object x with an attribute y, the fact that you can issue x.y means that y is indeed an attribute of x. if it's a data attribute, you access it with x.y. if it's a function attribute, i.e., a method, you also access it with x.y, esp. if you want to pass the function object around, and finally, if you actually want to *execute* it *and* it's a method, then you add the parens, x.y(). hope this helps, -- wesley - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "Python Web Development with Django", Addison Wesley, (c) 2009 http://withdjango.com wesley.j.chun :: wescpy-at-gmail.com python training and technical consulting cyberweb.consulting : silicon valley, ca http://cyberwebconsulting.com _______________________________________________ Tutor maillist - Tutor@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor