pymacros4py 0.8.3
pymacros4py is a templating system for Python code. It is based on a source-level macro preprocessor. Expressions, statements, and functions in the macro domain are also written in Python.
Requires Python: >=3.10
Keywords: macro, preprocessor, source-level, python code, replace, template

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pymacros4py
===========

Brief Description
-----------------

What is pymacros4py?
....................

**pymacros4py** is a Python templating system designed as a source-level macro
preprocessor. It allows you to create and embed macros (written in Python) that
manipulate, duplicate, or generate Python code.
The system helps ensure that the generated code meets Python's indentation
requirements.


Why Use pymacros4py?
....................

While macros are mostly unnecessary in Python due to its rich syntax and dynamic
capabilities, there are specific scenarios where using a macro-based templating
system can be very effective. Examples include:

- **Cross-platform requirements:** Maintaining code for multiple platforms
  (e.g., CPython and Cython) where certain sections of code need to be specific
  to each platform.

- **Performance-critical code:** Inlining functions in performance-sensitive
  areas without duplicating their implementation all over the project or making
  significant changes like moving to PyPy.

- **Code consistency:** Simplifying the management of repetitive code structures
  (e.g., function signatures or identical logic) to ensure consistency.

- **Configuration automation:** Explicitly generating portions of configuration
  files instead of relying on hidden generator scripts.

If you're seeking for a solution to address such challenges,
**pymacros4py** could be helpful for you.

(Note: **pymacros4py** expands macros at the source level. For extending
the language Python itself, in order to get a programming language with
additional capabilities, macro expansion
on the level of the abstract syntax tree, in the build phase of the
interpretation process, is better suited. See, e.g., the language lab
`mcpyrate <https://pypi.org/project/mcpyrate/>`_.)


Key Features
.............

- **Designed specifically for Python file templates**: Macro-generated code
  adheres to Python's indentation rules seamlessly.

- **Macro domain elements such as statements, functions, and expressions are**
  **defined directly in Python code**: No need to learn a specialized macro
  language - you simply embed Python macro code within Python code. This approach
  allows you to leverage all the functionalities Python offers.

- **Operates at the source level**: Using a preprocessor provides visibility
  into the generated code prior to bytecode generation, compilation, or
  interpretation. Additionally, it avoids introducing dependencies on external
  code, libraries, or executables during these phases.

- **Macro variables and functions**: These can be
  declared **either directly in the files they are utilized in** or
  **stored in separate files** for better organization.

- **Supports multi-level macro expansion**: For example, macro code can include
  templates containing additional macro code. Expansion results are cached to
  eliminate redundant computations and boost efficiency.

- **Strictly limits replacements to explicitly marked macro sections**:
  This prevents unintended consequences where a macro definition could
  inadvertently apply to future code additions by others, ensuring predictable
  and manageable outcomes.

*pymacros4py* is implemented as **pure Python code, with a small code base**.
It could be an acceptable pre-build dependency for your project, even if you aim at
avoiding dependencies. And if no dependency is acceptable, just copy its code
directly into your project.

The code of *pymacros4py* is tested with 100% code coverage.
Additionally, every example in this README - except for a single line
(excluded from the tests for technical constraints) - is covered by tests.

At present, semantic versioning is not applied. The practical experience
available with the library so far is not sufficient to assess the stability
of the API.


First Examples
..............

The following simple examples demonstrate how templating can be used.

**Example: Signatures, docstrings and code kept consistent by templating**

The following template combines macro code with application code.
The macro code is the Python code enclosed between the **$$**
symbols within the quotes.

.. code-block:: python

    '''$$
        def signature_fragment():
            insert(f"increment: bool = True\n")
    
        def code_fragment(v):
            insert(f'''\
    """If *increment* is True, return one more than *{v}*,
    and otherwise, one less than *{v}*.
    """
    return {v + 1} if increment else {v - 1}
    ''')
    
    $$'''
    def increment_or_decrement_1(
        # $$ signature_fragment()
    ) -> int:
        # $$ code_fragment(1)
    
    def increment_or_decrement_2(
        # $$ signature_fragment()
    ) -> int:
        # $$ code_fragment(2)

This template produces the following result:

.. code-block:: python

    def increment_or_decrement_1(
        increment: bool = True
    ) -> int:
        """If *increment* is True, return one more than *1*,
        and otherwise, one less than *1*.
        """
        return 2 if increment else 0
    
    def increment_or_decrement_2(
        increment: bool = True
    ) -> int:
        """If *increment* is True, return one more than *2*,
        and otherwise, one less than *2*.
        """
        return 3 if increment else 1

Like this, macro code with its definitions and usages can simply be written in Python.

Additionally, it's possible to use fragments of the template as body of function
definitions, even at the point where these functions are first used.
For instance, the template below produces the same result as the one above:

.. code-block:: python

    def increment_or_decrement_1(
        # $$ def signature_fragment():
        increment: bool = True
        # $$ :end
        # $$ signature_fragment()
    ) -> int:
        # $$ def code_fragment(v):
        """If *increment* is True, return one more than *'$$ insert(v) $$'*,
        and otherwise, one less than *'$$ insert(v) $$'*.
        """
        return '$$ insert(v+1) $$' if increment else '$$ insert(v-1) $$'
        # $$ :end
        # $$ code_fragment(1)
    
    def increment_or_decrement_2(
        # $$ signature_fragment()
    ) -> int:
        # $$ code_fragment(2)


**Example: Current year inserted into license file**

While many features of *pymacros4py* are designed specifically for templating
Python files - such as proper handling of indentation in both macros and
application code - templates can also be used for other text files within your
project.

For example, the following template demonstrates how to automatically insert
the current year into a license file:

::

    '''$$
    import time
    def current_year():
        now = time.gmtime()
        return time.strftime('%Y', now)
    $$'''
    MIT License
    Copyright(c) 2023 - '$$ insert(current_year()) $$' The author
    ...

This template generates:

::

    MIT License
    Copyright(c) 2023 - 2025 The author
    ...

**Example: Pre-computation of expressions**

The following template defines an expression as a macro function and executes
it during the macro expansion, in the sense of a pre-computation.

.. code-block:: python

    '''$$
       def incremented_by_1(i):
           insert(i+1)
    $$'''
    
    print('$$ incremented_by_1(5) $$')
    print('$$ incremented_by_1(6) $$')

This template generates:

.. code-block:: python

    
    print(6)
    print(7)

**Example: In-lining of expressions and function statements**

The following template defines an expression as a macro function and inserts
it during the macro expansion, in the sense of an in-lining.

.. code-block:: python

    '''$$
       def increment_by_1(i):
           insert(f'({i} + 1)')
    $$'''
    
    print('$$ increment_by_1("3") $$' * 2)

.. code-block:: python

    
    print((3 + 1) * 2)


Usage
-----

Installation
............

You can get and install *pymacros4py* as follows by using *pip*:

.. code-block:: shell

   pip install pymacros4py


Calling pymacros4py
...................

The preprocessor can be accessed in a Python script as follows:

.. code-block:: python

    >>> import pymacros4py
    >>> pp = pymacros4py.PreProcessor()

Then, the macros in a template file can be expanded as follows:

.. code-block:: python

    pp.expand_file_to_file('my_code.template.py', 'my_code.py')

Warning: When *pymacros4py* expands macros, it executes the expressions, statements
and functions of your macro code. You might want to apply it only to files that you
have fully under your control. If you write macro code that includes unsafe file
content, you can disable macro expansion for this content.

The method *expand_file_to_file* offers the following keyword parameter:

- *diffs_to_result_file*: bool = False. True means that the result is not written to
  the output file, but compared to the content of the file, and the result
  of the comparison is returned.
 

.. code-block:: python

    >>> pp.expand_file_to_file('tpl/README.rst', 'README.rst', diffs_to_result_file=True)
    ''

If you need specific arguments for the parameters *encoding*, *errors*, or *newlines*
used for opening files (see Python function *open*), you can set these
as attributes of the global object *file_options*:

.. code-block:: python

    >>> pymacros4py.file_options.encoding = "utf-8"


Using pymacros4py With a Code Formatter
.......................................

If you wish to utilize a code formatter like Black on files generated
through template expansion, *pymacros4py* offers its functionality at a
slightly lower level of abstraction to support such implementations.
This is showcased in the following example. It uses all the functionality
provided.

Just expand a template, do not write to a file:

.. code-block:: python

    >>> template_path = 'tests/data/file_generating_unformatted_code.tpl.py'
    >>> expanded = pp.expand_file(template_path)

Process the results of a macro expansion with an external tool:

.. code-block:: python

    >>> temp_file_path = pymacros4py.write_to_tempfile(expanded)
    >>> pymacros4py.run_process_with_file(["black", temp_file_path], temp_file_path)
    >>> formatted = pymacros4py.read_file(temp_file_path, finally_remove=True)

Store the results of the post-processing to a file:

.. code-block:: python

    >>> result_path = 'tests/data/file_generating_unformatted_code.py'
    >>> pymacros4py.write_file(result_path, formatted)

Compare two texts, e.g., a template and the expanded result, or
an expanded result and a formatted form of its content, in the
form used by option *diffs_to_result_file* of method
*pp.expand_file_to_file*:

.. code-block:: python

    >>> print(pp.diff(expanded, formatted, "expanded", "formatted"))
    *** expanded
    --- formatted
    ***************
    *** 1,3 ****
    ! print(
    ! "Hello world"
    ! )
    --- 1 ----
    ! print("Hello world")
    <BLANKLINE>

Notes:

- *read_file*, *expand_file*, *write_file*, and *write_to_tempfile* all use the
  *file_options* described above.
- *run_process_with_file* calls *subprocess.run*. The first argument is used as *args*
  for this function of the Python standard lib. See there for details. The second
  argument gives the path of the processed file to *pymacros4py*, so that the
  library can hint to the file in case an exception is raised during the *run*.
- If *run_process_with_file* raises an exception, the temporary file is not removed:
  The user might want to examine the content of the file
  the external code formatter got as input, because the reason of the failure could
  be within the processed file.


Templates and Template Expansion
--------------------------------

A *template* consists of macro sections and text sections. A single line
of a template can already contain several such sections.

- A macro section contains Python code intended to be executed during the macro
  expansion.

- A text section can be anything. In case of a template for a Python file,
  it is normal Python code. It is used as-is (except for a possible adaptation
  of the indentation).

For expanding the macros in a template, *pymacros4py* separates the macro and the
text sections. Then, it generates and executes a so-called *template script*
as follows:

- **Code of macro sections of the template is directly taken into the**
  **template script. When this code is executed, it can insert text into the output**
  **of the macro expansion by calling function** *insert()*.

- **For text sections, a statement that inserts the text into the results**
  **is automatically appended to the template script.**


**Example:** The following template for application code contains a full-line macro
section (the first line) and a macro section embedded in a line of the application
code

.. code-block:: python

    # $$ v = 2 * 3
    x = '$$ insert(v) $$'

From this template, pymacros4py generates a template script that looks roughly as
follows:

.. code-block:: python

    v = 2 * 3
    insert('x = ')
    insert(v)
    insert('\n')

This template script will be executed by pymacros4py. It generates the following
application code as result:

.. code-block:: python

    x = 6

Application code written in Python and macro code written in Python can
be mixed like this, and the macro code extends and manipulates the application code.

This explanation and example already gives a good impression of how templates
can be written. Further details are described in the following sections.


Quoted Macro Code in Templates
..............................

One way to mark macro code in a template looks similar to a
**string starting and ending with two dollar characters**.
Single or double quotes, or triple single or double quotes can be used.

Note, that whitespace between the quotes and the dollar characters is not allowed.

**Example:** The following lines each show a macro section with 'v = 0' as
macro code within the macro section.

.. code-block:: python

    '$$ v = 0 $$'
    "$$ v = 0 $$"
    '''$$ v = 0 $$'''
    """$$ v = 0 $$"""

**Start and end of macro code is identified only by the special combination**
**of quoting and dollar characters**.
Thus, both the quotes and the dollars can be freely used in macro code
and in application code, as long as they do not occur directly together. This makes the
macro recognition quite robust.

**Example:** Some dollar characters and quotes in application code and in macro
sections, but not combined in the special syntax that starts or ends a macro section

.. code-block:: python

    print('This is application code with $$ characters and quotes')
    '$$ v = 'This is a quoted string within macro code' $$'

A **macro section** spans quoting, dollars and code together.

If before and after the quotes, there are only space or tab characters,
the macro section is a *block macro section* (otherwise: an *inline macro section*)
and spans the whole line(s), including a trailing line break if present.

**Example:** Macro section that spans the whole line, including the trailing line break.

.. code-block:: python

    # This is a comment in application code
    '$$ v = 0  # This macro section spans the whole line $$'
    # This is a second comment in application code

Macro code can span several lines. All four possible quoting types can be used for
this, but triple quotes are more pythonic here.

**Example:** Macro section that spans several lines

.. code-block:: python

    '''$$ # This comment belongs to the macro code
          v = 'a string'
    $$'''

Whitespace and line breaks in the macro section before and after the macro code
are ignored.

Example: Identical macro code ('v = 0'), surrounded by different whitespace and/or
line breaks.
  
.. code-block:: python

    '''$$      v = 0       $$'''
    '''$$
          v = 0
    $$'''


Indentation in Macro Code
.........................

Macro code in a macro section can be indented to an arbitrary local level, independently
of other macro sections and surrounding application code. Locally, indentation needs
to follow Python syntax. Globally, *pymacros4py* will establish a valid indentation when
combining code of several macro sections, and code generated by *pymacros4py* itself.

**The first (non-whitespace) character of the macro code** in a macro section
**defines the base indentation** of the code. Subsequent lines of the macro code need to
be indented accordingly: equally indented (by literally the same characters, but
with each non-whitespace character replaced by a space character),
or with additional indentation characters (following the base indentation), or not
indented at all. When *pymacros4py* re-indents code, it changes only the base
indentation, and it keeps non-indented lines non-indented.

Note: This concept supports indentation by space characters, by tabs, and even
mixed forms, and does not require fixing the amount of indentation resulting from a tab.
But there is one limitation:
**If macro code is indented by tabs, it needs to start in its own line.**

**Example:** Macro code starts in its own line.
Indentation is done by space and/or tab characters.
The indentation of the first
non-whitespace character (here: 'v') defines the base indentation of the
macro section, and subsequent lines are indented equally (by an identical indentation
string). The third line is locally indented, relative to this base indentation.

.. code-block:: python

    '''$$
            v1 = 0
            for i in range(3):
                v1 += i
    $$'''

**Example:** Macro code starts in the first line of the macro section. 
All indentation is done by space characters.
The number of characters left to the 'v' determines
the base indentation that the second line follows.
The third line is locally indented, relative to this base indentation.

.. code-block:: python

    '''$       v1 = 0
               for i in range(3):
                   v1 += i
    $$'''

**Example:** Multi-line string with non-indented content

.. code-block:: python

    '''$$
        v = """
    First line of string. No indentation. This will be preserved.
    Second line of string. No indentation. This will be preserved.
    """
        # Our code continues at the level of the base indentation
        insert(v)
    $$'''


Macro Code within a Comment
...........................

A second option to mark macro code in a template has the **form of a comment,**
**starting with a hash character**, optionally
followed by spaces or tabs, **and two dollar characters**. The macro code ends with
the line. If there are only space and/or tab characters before the hash,
the macro section spans the whole line, including a trailing line break.

.. code-block:: python

    # $$ v = 0

Hint: Macro code in a comment is valid Python syntax even if it occurs within
signatures in application code. This prevents a Python editor from
signalling a syntax error in your template, what can be helpful. Quoted macro code
has the advantage that it can span multiple lines, and that some editors highlight
it in the template, what can also be useful.


Arbitrary Python Code as Macro Code
...................................

**Macro code is regular Python code**. A call to the predefined
**function**
*insert*
**inserts the results of applying the function**
*str*
**to the arguments of**
*insert*
**at the place of the macro section**.

**Example:** Macro code defining a function that generates code

.. code-block:: python

    def a_function_of_our_application():
        '''$$
        # Here, we define a function in macro code
        def return_print_n_times(n, s):
            statement = f'print("{s}")\n'
            return statement * n
        # Now, we call it
        insert(return_print_n_times(3, "Yep."))
        $$'''

The template script derived from this template generates the following result:

.. code-block:: python

    def a_function_of_our_application():
        print("Yep.")
        print("Yep.")
        print("Yep.")

**Example:** Macro code inserting a computation result

.. code-block:: python

    def example_function(i: int) -> int:
        # $$ v = 2 * 2
        return '$$ insert(v) $$'

It evaluates to:

.. code-block:: python
  
    def example_function(i: int) -> int:
        return 4


Indentation of Macro Results
............................

**The results of the expansion of a macro section**,
e.g., the output of calls of function *insert*, **are indented relative to the**
**indentation of the first non-whitespace character of the macro section** (i.e.,
the hash character for macro code in a comment, resp., the first quote in quoted
macro code).

**Example:** Macro sections with different indentation levels

.. code-block:: python

    v = True
    # $$ # Macro expansion result will be indented to this level
    # $$ insert(f'print({1+1})\n')
    if v:
        # $$ # Macro expansion result will be indended to this higher level
        # $$ insert(f'print({2+2})\n')
        
This template is evaluated to the following result:

.. code-block:: python

    v = True
    print(2)
    if v:
        print(4)

**For inline macro sections, the first line of the results is inserted without**
**adding indentation.** For block macro sections, each line is (re-) indented.

**Example:** An inline macro section and a block macro section, both with multi-line
results

.. code-block:: python

    # $$ v = 2
    y = 1 + '$$ insert("(\n", v, "\n* w\n)") $$'
    z = 11 + (
             '''$$ insert(v+1, "\n*w\n") $$'''
             )
        
This template is evaluated to the following result:

.. code-block:: python

    y = 1 + (
            2
            * w
            )
    z = 11 + (
             3
             *w
             )

In the first case, the inline macro section, the expansion result (starting with the
opening bracket) is inserted directly after the application code 'y = 1 + ', without
indentation.

In the second case, the block macro section, the expansion result (starting with the
'3') is inserted with indentation.


**If the library detects zero indentation in macro output, this zero indentation**
**is preserved, i.e., no re-indentation happens.**

**Example:** Recognizable zero indentation in macro output is preserved.

.. code-block:: python

    if True:
        """$$
            insert("    v = '''\ntext\n'''\n")
        $$"""
        
This template is evaluated to the following result:

.. code-block:: python

    if True:
        v = '''
    text
    '''

The macro section of the example starts in an indented suite, here, of an *if*
statement. Thus, macro output of the following macro code will be re-indented
to this level - except for the case that zero indentation of output is explicitly
demanded. So, we can check in the results, if this exception works.

Then, in the macro code, we start with inserting output at a non-zero base
indentation, as reference (the spaces before the assignment). So, the library
can detect that the subsequent lines require zero-indentation (the text of
the string literal is given with zero indentation).

In the expansion result, we see that the macro output starts indented to the
level of the start of the macro section: re-indentation happened here. But then,
the zero indentation of the lines of the string literal is detected and thus
preserved.


Including and Importing Files
-----------------------------

Macro code can insert expansion results or import attributes, e.g.,
function definitions, from other template files. pymacros4py offers the following
functions for this:

- **insert_from(self, template_file: str, globals_dict: Optional[dict]=None) -> None:**

  Perform a macro expansion of *template_file* within a new namespace, and
  **insert the results** into the results of the current macro expansion.
  *globals* can be given to initialize the namespace like in a call of *eval()*.

  When called a second time with an identical argument for *file*,
  and *globals* is *None* in both calls, re-use the output of the previous run.

  (If *globals* is not *None*, and you want to re-use results in cases of
  equivalent content of *globals*, this has to be implemented manually.)

- **import_from(self, template_file: str) -> None:**

  Perform a macro expansion of *template_file*
  **in the namespace of the current macro expansion**
  (attributes that have already been set can be used by macro code in
  *template_file*,
  and attributes set by such code can be used in macro code following
  the call).

  Discard the output of the expansion run.

  When called a second time with an identical argument for *template_file*,
  ignore the call.

If the first part of the path (see *pathlib.PurePath.parts*) given as *template_file*
is *$$*, this part is removed and the subsequent parts are interpreted relative to
the directory of the currently expanded template.

**Example for insert_from:**

The following call of *insert_from*:

.. code-block:: python

    def example_function() -> int:
        # $$ i = 3
        # $$ insert_from("tests/data/file_with_output_macro.py")
        return "$$ insert(i) $$"

with the following content of the file:

.. code-block:: python

    # $$ i = 2
    print('some text')

evaluates to:

.. code-block:: python
    
    def example_function() -> int:
        print('some text')
        return 3

The output of the *include* statement is added to the results,
but the content of the global namespace (here: the value of variable *i*) is not
changed.

**Example for import_from, with a path relative to the template:**

The following template:

.. code-block:: python

    # $$ import_from("$$/file_with_definition_macro.py")
    # $$ insert(return_print_n_times(3, "Yep."))

with the following content of the file, that is stored in the same directory as the
template that contains the above given code:

.. code-block:: python

    '''$$
        def return_print_n_times(n, s):
            statement = f'print("{s}")\n'
            return statement * n
    $$'''
    print("Text not important")

evaluates to:

.. code-block:: python
    
    print("Yep.")
    print("Yep.")
    print("Yep.")

The content of the global namespace is extended by function *return_print_n_times*,
but the output of the imported template is ignored.


Macro Statement Suites Across Multiple Sections
-----------------------------------------------

If the code in a macro section ends within a *suite* of a Python *compound statement*
(see https://docs.python.org/3/reference/compound_stmts.html)
e.g., an indented block of statements after statements like *if*, *for*, or *def*,
this suite ends with the macro code:

**Example:**

.. code-block:: python

    '''$$ v = 1
          if v == 0:
              insert("print('v == 0')")
    $$'''
    # $$ insert("print('Always')\n")

Result:

.. code-block:: python

    print('Always')

**But a suite can also span over subsequent template or**
**macro sections**. This case is supported in a limited form (!) as follows:

- **Start of the suite: Macro section with just the introducing statement**

  The header of the compound statement (its introducing statement, ending with
  a colon) needs to be the only content of the macro section. Not even
  a comment is allowed after the colon.

  Reason: The beginning of a suite that is meant to span multiple sections is
  recognized by the colon ending the macro code. The kind of compound statement is
  recognized by the first word of the macro code.
 
- **A suite is ended by a** *:end* **macro section**

  If the code of a macro section just consists of the special statement *:end*,
  the suite that has started most recently, ends. Whitespace is ignored.
 
- **Macro sections** *elif, else, except, finally,* **and** *case*
  **end a suite and start a new one**

  If a macro section starts with one of the listed statements and ends with
  a colon, the suite ends, that has started most recently, the macro code is handled,
  and then a new suite starts.

- **Such suites can be nested.**

**Examples for conditionally discarding or using text sections:**

.. code-block:: python
    
    # $$ import datetime
    # $$ d = datetime.date.today()
    # $$ if d > datetime.date(2024, 1, 1):
    # $$ code_block = 1
    # This comes from the first macro code block, number '$$ insert(code_block) $$'
    print('January 1st, 2024, or later')
    # $$ else:
    # This comes from the second macro code block, number '$$ insert(code_block) $$'
    print('Earlier than January 1st, 2024')
    # $$ :end

The template script generated from this template looks roughly as follows:
    
.. code-block:: python
    
    import datetime
    d = datetime.date.today()
    if d > datetime.date(2024, 1, 1):
        code_block = 1
        insert('# This comes from the first macro code block, number ')
        insert(code_block)
        insert("\nprint('January 1st, 2024, or later')\n")
    else:
        insert('# This comes from the second macro code block, number ')
        insert(code_block)
        insert("\nprint('Earlier than January 1st, 2024')\n")

Note that *pymacros4py* automatically indents the *insert* statements and the
statements *code_block = ...* when generating the template script, because in
Python, suites of compound statements need to be indented.

This template script evaluates to:
          
.. code-block:: python
    
    # This comes from the first macro code block, number 1
    print('January 1st, 2024, or later')

**Examples for loops over text blocks:**

.. code-block:: python
    
    # $$ for i in range(3):
    print('Yep, i is "$$ insert(i) $$".')
    # $$ :end
    # $$ j = 5
    # $$ while j > 3:
    print('And, yep, j is "$$ insert(j) $$".')
    # $$ j -= 1
    # $$ :end
    
This template evaluates to:
          
.. code-block:: python
    
    print('Yep, i is 0.')
    print('Yep, i is 1.')
    print('Yep, i is 2.')
    print('And, yep, j is 5.')
    print('And, yep, j is 4.')

**Example for a multi-section suite containing**
**both indented and non-indented macro code:**

.. code-block:: python
    
    # $$ for i in range(2):
    print('Code from the text section, variable i is "$$ insert(i) $$".')
    '''$$ # The macro code of this section is locally indented to this level,
          # but not the content of the following text literal
          more_text = """\
    print('This first line is not indented.')
    print('This second line is not indented.')
    """
          # We continue at the base indention, it is here
          insert(more_text)
    $$'''
    
    # $$ :end

The template script generated from this template looks roughly as follows:
    
.. code-block:: python
    
    for i in range(2):
        insert("print('Code from the text section, variable i is ")
        insert(i)
        insert(".')\n")
        # The macro code of this section is locally indented to this level,
        # but not the content of the following text literal
        more_text = """\
    print('This first line is not indented.')
    print('This second line is not indented.')
    """
        # We continue at the base indention, it is here
        insert(more_text)
        insert('\n')

This template script shows: The implementation of multi-section suites by
*pymacros4py* meets two requirements:

- In Python, code in suites of compound statements needs to be indented. So,
  *pymacros4py* generates this indentation synthetically (re-indentation) when
  generating the template script.

- It must be possible to define unindented string literals. So, *pymacros4py*
  distinguishes unindented code from indented code, re-indents only the indented
  code, but uses the unindented code as-is.

The template evaluates to:
          
.. code-block:: python

    print('Code from the text section, variable i is 0.')
    print('This first line is not indented.')
    print('This second line is not indented.')
    
    print('Code from the text section, variable i is 1.')
    print('This first line is not indented.')
    print('This second line is not indented.')
    
 

Def-Statement Suites Spanning Multiple Sections
-----------------------------------------------

If the suite of a *def*-statement spans multiple sections, indentation of
generated results of the macro expansion is special-cased as follows:

- **Macro sections: Generated code is indented as part of the calling macro section**,
  not the defining macro section.

- **Text sections: The content is also indented as part of the generated results**
  (whereas outside the suite of a *def* statement, it is interpreted as literal).
  And the same rules apply: Zero indentation is kept, other indentation is interpreted
  relative to the indentation of the first content character, and the indentation
  is adapted to the indentation of the calling macro section.

**Examples:**

.. code-block:: python

    # $$ def some_inlined_computation(times, acc):
    for macro_var_i in range('$$ insert(times) $$'):
        '$$ insert(acc) $$' = 1
    # $$ :end
    j = k = 0
    # $$ some_inlined_computation(3, "j")
    if True:
        # $$ some_inlined_computation(2, "k")

This template evaluates to:
          
.. code-block:: python

    j = k = 0
    for macro_var_i in range(3):
        j = 1
    if True:
        for macro_var_i in range(2):
            k = 1

Note, that the indentation of the results of the two calls of the function is defined
by the indentation of the calling macro sections, and not the defining macro
section. And this holds both for the macro sections and the text sections within the
suite of the *def* statement. Like that, valid indentation is established.


Debugging
---------

Error Messages
..............

In case something goes wrong, *pymacros4py* tries to give helpful error messages.

**Example: Wrong indentation within macro code**

.. code-block:: python

    '''$$
        # first line
      # indentation of second line below base indentation, but not zero
    $$'''

This template leads to the following exception: 

.. code-block:: python

    >>> pp.expand_file_to_file("tests/data/error_wrong_indentation_in_macro.tpl.py", "out.py"
    ... )   # doctest: +NORMALIZE_WHITESPACE
    Traceback (most recent call last):
    RuntimeError: File "tests/data/error_wrong_indentation_in_macro.tpl.py", line 2:
    Syntax error: indentation of line 1 of the macro code is not an
    extension of the base indentation.

**Example: Macro section started, but not ended**

.. code-block:: python

    '''$$

This template leads to the following exception:

.. code-block:: python

    >>> pp.expand_file_to_file("tests/data/error_macro_section_not_ended.tpl.py", "out.py"
    ... )   # doctest: +NORMALIZE_WHITESPACE
    Traceback (most recent call last):
    RuntimeError: --- File "tests/data/error_macro_section_not_ended.tpl.py", line 1:
    Syntax error in macro section, macro started but not ended:
    '''$$
    <BLANKLINE>


**Example: Nesting of multi-section suites of compound statements wrong,**
**unexpected suite end**

.. code-block:: python

    #$$ if True:
    #$$ :end
    #$$ :end

This template leads to the following exception: 

.. code-block:: python

    >>> pp.expand_file_to_file("tests/data/error_unexpected_end.tpl.py", "out.py"
    ... )   # doctest: +NORMALIZE_WHITESPACE
    Traceback (most recent call last):
    RuntimeError: --- File "tests/data/error_unexpected_end.tpl.py", line 3:
    Nesting error in compound statements with suites spanning several sections,
    in macro section:
      :end

**Example: Nesting of multi-section suites of compound statements wrong,**
**suite end missing**

.. code-block:: python

    #$$ if True:

This template leads to the following exception:

.. code-block:: python

    >>> pp.expand_file_to_file("tests/data/error_end_missing.tpl.py", "out.py"
    ... )   # doctest: +NORMALIZE_WHITESPACE
    Traceback (most recent call last):
    RuntimeError: Syntax error: block nesting (indentation) not correct,
    is :end somewhere missing?

**Example: Wrong indentation of expansion results**

.. code-block:: python

    '''$$
      insert("    # First line indented\n")
      insert("  # Second line indented, but less than the first\n")
    $$'''

This template leads to an exception:

.. code-block:: python

    >>> try:
    ...     pp.expand_file_to_file("tests/data/error_result_indentation_inconsistent.tpl.py",
    ...                            "out.py")
    ... except Exception as e:
    ...     print(type(e).__name__)  # doctest: +NORMALIZE_WHITESPACE, +ELLIPSIS
    RuntimeError

(Depending on the used Python version, the exception contains notes. If there
are notes, the doctest module cannot correctly parse them. And if not, the doctest
cannot handle this version-specific deviation of the results. So, above, we only
check that the expected exception occurs.)


Comparing Results
.................

Method *expand_file_to_file* offers an option *diffs_to_result_file* that returns
the differences between the results of the macro expansion and the current content
of the result file. If there are no differences, the empty string is returned.

**Example:** Showing results of a change in a template

In the following template, we changed the expression with respect to the example of
section *Templates and template expansion*.

.. code-block:: python

    # $$ # In the following line, we changed the expression w.r.t. the example of
    # $$ # section Templates and template expansion