Packing and Unpacking Files

Many moons ago (about five years), I used machines that had no tools for bundling files into a single package for easy transport. The situation is this: you have a large set of text files lying around that you need to transfer to another computer. These days, tools like tar are widely available for packaging many files into a single file that can be copied, uploaded, mailed, or otherwise transferred in a single step. Even Python itself has grown to support zip archives in the 2.0 standard library (see module zipfile).

Before I managed to install such tools on my PC, though, portable Python scripts served just as well. Example 4-6 copies all the files listed on the command line to the standard output stream, separated by marker lines.

Example 4-6. PP2ESystemAppClients extpack.py

#!/usr/local/bin/python
import sys # load the system module
marker = ':'*10 + 'textpak=>' # hopefully unique separator

def pack( ):
 for name in sys.argv[1:]: # for all command-line arguments
 input = open(name, 'r') # open the next input file
 print marker + name # write a separator line
 print input.read( ), # and write the file's contents

if __name__ == '__main__': pack( ) # pack files listed on cmdline

The first line in this file is a Python comment (#...), but it also gives the path to the Python interpreter using the Unix executable-script trick discussed in Chapter 2. If we give textpack.py executable permission with a Unix chmod command, we can pack files by running this program file directly from a Unix shell, and redirect its standard output stream to the file we want the packed archive to show up in. It works the same on Windows, but we just type the interpreter name "python" instead:

C:...PP2ESystemAppClients	est>type spam.txt
SPAM
spam

C:......	est>python ..	extpack.py spam.txt eggs.txt ham.txt > packed.all

C:......	est>type packed.all
::::::::::textpak=>spam.txt
SPAM
spam
::::::::::textpak=>eggs.txt
EGGS
::::::::::textpak=>ham.txt
ham

Running the program this way creates a single output file called packed.all, which contains all three input files, with a header line giving the original file's name before each file's contents. Combining many files into one like this makes it easy to transfer in a single step -- only one file need be copied to floppy, emailed, and so on. If you have hundreds of files to move, this can be a big win.

After such a file is transferred, though, it must somehow be unpacked on the receiving end, to recreate the original files. To do so, we need to scan the combined file line by line, watching for header lines left by the packer to know when a new file's contents begins. Another simple Python script, shown in Example 4-7, does the trick.

Example 4-7. PP2ESystemAppClients extunpack.py

#!/usr/local/bin/python
import sys
from textpack import marker # use common seperator key
mlen = len(marker) # file names after markers

for line in sys.stdin.readlines( ): # for all input lines
 if line[:mlen] != marker:
 print line, # write real lines
 else:
 sys.stdout = open(line[mlen:-1], 'w') # or make new output file

We could code this in a function like we did in textpack, but there is little point here -- as written, the script relies on standard streams, not function parameters. Run this in the directory where you want unpacked files to appear, with the packed archive file piped in on the command line as the script's standard input stream:

C:......	estunpack>python ....	extunpack.py < ..packed.all

C:......	estunpack>ls
eggs.txt ham.txt spam.txt

C:......	estunpack>type spam.txt
SPAM
Spam

4.5.1 Packing Files "++"

So far so good; the textpack and textunpack scripts made it easy to move lots of files around, without lots of manual intervention. But after playing with these and similar scripts for a while, I began to see commonalities that almost cried out for reuse. For instance, almost every shell tool I wrote had to scan command-line arguments, redirect streams to a variety of sources, and so on. Further, almost every command-line utility wound up with a different command-line option pattern, because each was written from scratch.

The following few classes are one solution to such problems. They define a class hierarchy that is designed for reuse of common shell tool code. Moreover, because of the reuse going on, every program that ties into its hierarchy sports a common look-and-feel in terms of command-line options, environment variable use, and more. As usual with object-oriented systems, once you learn which methods to overload, such a class framework provides a lot of work and consistency for free. The module in Example 4-8 adapts the textpack script's logic for integration into this hierarchy.

Example 4-8. PP2ESystemAppClientspackapp.py

#!/usr/local/bin/python
######################################################
# pack text files into one, separated by marker line;
# % packapp.py -v -o target src src...
# % packapp.py *.txt -o packed1
# >>> apptools.appRun('packapp.py', args...)
# >>> apptools.appCall(PackApp, args...)
######################################################

from textpack import marker
from PP2E.System.App.Kinds.redirect import StreamApp

class PackApp(StreamApp):
 def start(self):
 StreamApp.start(self)
 if not self.args:
 self.exit('packapp.py [-o target]? src src...')
 def run(self):
 for name in self.restargs( ):
 try:
 self.message('packing: ' + name)
 self.pack_file(name)
 except:
 self.exit('error processing: ' + name)
 def pack_file(self, name): 
 self.setInput(name) 
 self.write(marker + name + '
')
 while 1:
 line = self.readline( )
 if not line: break
 self.write(line)

if __name__ == '__main__': PackApp( ).main( )

Here, PackApp inherits members and methods that handle:

• Operating system services
• Command-line processing
• Input/output stream redirection

from the StreamApp class, imported from another Python module file (listed in Example 4-10). StreamApp provides a "read/write" interface to redirected streams, and provides a standard "start/run/stop" script execution protocol. PackApp simply redefines the start and run methods for its own purposes, and reads and writes itself to access its standard streams. Most low-level system interfaces are hidden by the StreamApp class; in OOP terms, we say they are encapsulated.

This module can both be run as a program, and imported by a client (remember, Python sets a module's name to __main_ _ when it's run directly, so it can tell the difference). When run as a program, the last line creates an instance of the PackApp class, and starts it by calling its main method -- a method call exported by StreamApp to kick off a program run:

C:......	est>python ..packapp.py -v -o packedapp.all spam.txt eggs.txt ham.txt
PackApp start.
packing: spam.txt
packing: eggs.txt
packing: ham.txt
PackApp done.

C:......	est>type packedapp.all
::::::::::textpak=>spam.txt
SPAM
spam
::::::::::textpak=>eggs.txt
EGGS
::::::::::textpak=>ham.txt
ham

This has the same effect as the textpack.py script, but command-line options (-v for verbose mode, -o to name an output file) are inherited from the StreamApp superclass. The unpacker in Example 4-9 looks similar when migrated to the OO framework, because the very notion of running a program has been given a standard structure.

Example 4-9. PP2ESystemAppClientsunpackapp.py

#!/usr/bin/python
###########################################
# unpack a packapp.py output file;
# % unpackapp.py -i packed1 -v
# apptools.appRun('unpackapp.py', args...)
# apptools.appCall(UnpackApp, args...)
###########################################

import string
from textpack import marker
from PP2E.System.App.Kinds.redirect import StreamApp

class UnpackApp(StreamApp):
 def start(self):
 StreamApp.start(self)
 self.endargs( ) # ignore more -o's, etc.
 def run(self):
 mlen = len(marker)
 while 1:
 line = self.readline( )
 if not line: 
 break
 elif line[:mlen] != marker:
 self.write(line)
 else:
 name = string.strip(line[mlen:])
 self.message('creating: ' + name)
 self.setOutput(name)

if __name__ == '__main__': UnpackApp( ).main( )

This subclass redefines start and run methods to do the right thing for this script -- prepare for and execute a file unpacking operation. All the details of parsing command-line arguments and redirecting standard streams are handled in superclasses:

C:......	estunpackapp>python ....unpackapp.py -v -i ..packedapp.all
UnpackApp start.
creating: spam.txt
creating: eggs.txt
creating: ham.txt
UnpackApp done.

C:......	estunpackapp>ls
eggs.txt ham.txt spam.txt

C:......	estunpackapp>type spam.txt
SPAM
spam

Running this script does the same job as the original textunpack.py, but we get command-line flags for free (-i specifies the input files). In fact, there are more ways to launch classes in this hierarchy than I have space to show here. A command line pair, -i -, for instance, makes the script read its input from stdin, as though it were simply piped or redirected in the shell:

C:......	estunpackapp>type ..packedapp.all | python ....unpackapp.py -i -
creating: spam.txt
creating: eggs.txt
creating: ham.txt

4.5.2 Application Hierarchy Superclasses

This section lists the source code of StreamApp and App -- the classes that do all this extra work on behalf of PackApp and UnpackApp. We don't have space to go through all this code in detail, so be sure to study these listings on your own for more information. It's all straight Python code.

I should also point out that the classes listed in this section are just the ones used by the object-oriented mutations of the textpack and textunpack scripts. They represent just one branch of an overall application framework class tree, that you can study on this book's CD (see http://examples.oreilly.com/python2 and browse directory PP2ESystemApp). Other classes in the tree provide command menus, internal string-based file streams, and so on. You'll also find additional clients of the hierarchy that do things like launch other shell tools, and scan Unix-style email mailbox files.

4.5.2.1 StreamApp: Adding stream redirection

StreamApp adds a few command-line arguments (-i, -o) and input/output stream redirection to the more general App root class listed later; App in turn defines the most general kinds of program behavior, to be inherited in Examples Example 4-8, Example 4-9, and Example 4-10, i.e., in all classes derived from App.

Example 4-10. PP2ESystemAppKinds edirect.py

################################################################################
# App subclasses for redirecting standard streams to files
################################################################################

import sys
from PP2E.System.App.Bases.app import App

################################################################################
# an app with input/output stream redirection
################################################################################

class StreamApp(App):
 def __init__(self, ifile='-', ofile='-'):
 App.__init__(self) # call superclass init
 self.setInput( ifile or self.name + '.in') # default i/o file names
 self.setOutput(ofile or self.name + '.out') # unless '-i', '-o' args

 def closeApp(self): # not __del__
 try:
 if self.input != sys.stdin: # may be redirected
 self.input.close( ) # if still open
 except: pass
 try:
 if self.output != sys.stdout: # don't close stdout!
 self.output.close( ) # input/output exist?
 except: pass

 def help(self):
 App.help(self)
 print '-i  (default: stdin or per app)'
 print '-o  (default: stdout or per app)'

 def setInput(self, default=None):
 file = self.getarg('-i') or default or '-'
 if file == '-':
 self.input = sys.stdin
 self.input_name = ''
 else:
 self.input = open(file, 'r') # cmdarg | funcarg | stdin
 self.input_name = file # cmdarg '-i -' works too

 def setOutput(self, default=None):
 file = self.getarg('-o') or default or '-'
 if file == '-':
 self.output = sys.stdout
 self.output_name = ''
 else:
 self.output = open(file, 'w') # error caught in main( )
 self.output_name = file # make backups too?

class RedirectApp(StreamApp):
 def __init__(self, ifile=None, ofile=None):
 StreamApp.__init__(self, ifile, ofile)
 self.streams = sys.stdin, sys.stdout
 sys.stdin = self.input # for raw_input, stdin
 sys.stdout = self.output # for print, stdout

 def closeApp(self): # not __del__
 StreamApp.closeApp(self) # close files?
 sys.stdin, sys.stdout = self.streams # reset sys files


############################################################
# to add as a mix-in (or use multiple-inheritance...)
############################################################

class RedirectAnyApp:
 def __init__(self, superclass, *args):
 apply(superclass.__init__, (self,) + args)
 self.super = superclass
 self.streams = sys.stdin, sys.stdout
 sys.stdin = self.input # for raw_input, stdin
 sys.stdout = self.output # for print, stdout

 def closeApp(self): 
 self.super.closeApp(self) # do the right thing
 sys.stdin, sys.stdout = self.streams # reset sys files

4.5.2.2 App: The root class

The top of the hierarchy knows what it means to be a shell application, but not how to accomplish a particular utility task (those parts are filled in by subclasses). App, listed in Example 4-11, exports commonly used tools in a standard and simplified interface, and a customizable start/run/stop method protocol that abstracts script execution. It also turns application objects into file-like objects: when an application reads itself, for instance, it really reads whatever source its standard input stream has been assigned to by other superclasses in the tree (like StreamApp).

Example 4-11. PP2ESystemAppBasesapp.py

################################################################################
# an application class hierarchy, for handling top-level components;
# App is the root class of the App hierarchy, extended in other files;
################################################################################

import sys, os, traceback
AppError = 'App class error' # errors raised here

class App: # the root class
 def __init__(self, name=None):
 self.name = name or self.__class__.__name__ # the lowest class
 self.args = sys.argv[1:] 
 self.env = os.environ
 self.verbose = self.getopt('-v') or self.getenv('VERBOSE') 
 self.input = sys.stdin
 self.output = sys.stdout 
 self.error = sys.stderr # stdout may be piped
 def closeApp(self): # not __del__: ref's?
 pass # nothing at this level
 def help(self):
 print self.name, 'command-line arguments:' # extend in subclass
 print '-v (verbose)'

 ##############################
 # script environment services
 ##############################

 def getopt(self, tag):
 try: # test "-x" command arg
 self.args.remove(tag) # not real argv: > 1 App?
 return 1 
 except:
 return 0
 def getarg(self, tag, default=None):
 try: # get "-x val" command arg
 pos = self.args.index(tag)
 val = self.args[pos+1]
 self.args[pos:pos+2] = []
 return val
 except:
 return default # None: missing, no default
 def getenv(self, name, default=''):
 try: # get "$x" environment var
 return self.env[name]
 except KeyError:
 return default
 def endargs(self):
 if self.args:
 self.message('extra arguments ignored: ' + `self.args`)
 self.args = []
 def restargs(self):
 res, self.args = self.args, [] # no more args/options
 return res
 def message(self, text):
 self.error.write(text + '
') # stdout may be redirected
 def exception(self):
 return (sys.exc_type, sys.exc_value) # the last exception
 def exit(self, message='', status=1):
 if message: 
 self.message(message)
 sys.exit(status)
 def shell(self, command, fork=0, inp=''):
 if self.verbose:
 self.message(command) # how about ipc?
 if not fork:
 os.system(command) # run a shell cmd
 elif fork == 1:
 return os.popen(command, 'r').read( ) # get its output
 else: # readlines too?
 pipe = os.popen(command, 'w') 
 pipe.write(inp) # send it input
 pipe.close( )

 #################################################
 # input/output-stream methods for the app itself; 
 # redefine in subclasses if not using files, or 
 # set self.input/output to file-like objects;
 #################################################

 def read(self, *size): 
 return apply(self.input.read, size)
 def readline(self): 
 return self.input.readline( )
 def readlines(self): 
 return self.input.readlines( )
 def write(self, text): 
 self.output.write(text)
 def writelines(self, text): 
 self.output.writelines(text)

 ###################################################
 # to run the app
 # main( ) is the start/run/stop execution protocol;
 ###################################################

 def main(self):
 res = None
 try:
 self.start( )
 self.run( )
 res = self.stop( ) # optional return val
 except SystemExit: # ignore if from exit( )
 pass
 except:
 self.message('uncaught: ' + `self.exception( )`)
 traceback.print_exc( )
 self.closeApp( )
 return res

 def start(self): 
 if self.verbose: self.message(self.name + ' start.')
 def stop(self): 
 if self.verbose: self.message(self.name + ' done.')
 def run(self): 
 raise AppError, 'run must be redefined!'

4.5.2.3 Why use classes here?

Now that I've listed all this code, some readers might naturally want to ask, "So why go to all this trouble?" Given the amount of extra code in the OO version of these scripts, it's a perfectly valid question. Most of the code listed in Example 4-11 is general-purpose logic, designed to be used by many applications. Still, that doesn't explain why the packapp and unpackapp OO scripts are larger than the original equivalent textpack and textunpack non-OO scripts.

The answers will become more apparent after the first few times you don't have to write code to achieve a goal, but there are some concrete benefits worth summarizing here:

Encapsulation

StreamApp clients need not remember all the system interfaces in Python, because StreamApp exports its own unified view. For instance, arguments, streams, and shell variables are split across Python modules (e.g., sys.argv, sys.stdout, os.environ); in these classes, they are all collected in the same single place.

Standardization

From the shell user's perspective, StreamApp clients all have a common look-and-feel, because they inherit the same interfaces to the outside world from their superclasses (e.g., -i and -v flags).

Maintenance

All the common code in the App and StreamApp superclasses must be debugged only once. Moreover, localizing code in superclasses makes it easier to understand and change in the future.

Reuse

Such a framework can provide an extra precoded utility we would otherwise have to recode in every script we write (command-line argument extraction, for instance). That holds true both now and in the future -- services added to the App root class become immediately usable and customizable among all applications derived from this hierarchy.

Utility

Because file access isn't hardcoded in PackApp and UnpackApp, they can easily take on new behavior, just by changing the class they inherit from. Given the right superclass, PackApp and UnpackApp could just as easily read and write to strings or sockets, as to text files and standard streams.

Although it's not obvious until you start writing larger class-based systems, code reuse is perhaps the biggest win for class-based programs. For instance, in Chapter 9, we will reuse the OO-based packer and unpacker scripts by invoking them from a menu GUI like this:

from PP2E.System.App.Clients.packapp import PackApp
...get dialog inputs, glob filename patterns
app = PackApp(ofile=output) # run with redirected output
app.args = filenames # reset cmdline args list
app.main( )


from PP2E.System.App.Clients.unpackapp import UnpackApp
...get dialog input
app = UnpackApp(ifile=input) # run with input from file
app.main( ) # execute app class

Because these classes encapsulate the notion of streams, they can be imported and called, not just run as top-level scripts. Further, their code is reusable two ways: not only do they export common system interfaces for reuse in subclasses, but they can also be used as software components as in the previous code listing. See the PP2EGuiShellgui directory for the full source code of these clients.

Python doesn't impose OO programming, of course, and you can get a lot of work done with simpler functions and scripts. But once you learn how to structure class trees for reuse, going the extra OO mile usually pays off in the long run.