python array.array with strings as data type

Question

Is there an object that acts like array.array, yet can handle strings (or character arrays) as its data type?

It should be able to convert the string array to binary and back again, preferably with null terminated strings, however fixed length strings would be acceptable.

>>> my_array = stringarray(['foo', 'bar'])
>>> my_array.tostring()
'foo0円bar0円'
>>> re_read = stringarray('foo0円bar0円')
>>> re_read[:]
['foo', 'bar']

I will be using it with arrays that contain a couple million strings.

• Karl Knechtel: So your strings will never contain '0円'? What are you planning to do with the joined-up string-chunks?

Answer 1

Simply use a standard Python list:

def list_to_string(lst):
 return "0円".join(l) + "0円"
def string_to_list(s):
 return s.split("0円")[:-1]

• Gladius: I will need to keep 0円 to specify empty strings. s.split('0円')[:-1] ?
• Sven Marnach: @Gladius: I edited the answer to use what you suggested. I didn't use this right away because it will drop the last element even if s does not end with a 0円.
• Gladius: Since I will be creating the serialised string, I can be sure that it will always end in 0,円 though extra caution could be used with something like "if s[-1] == '0円' return s[:-1] else return s"
• Gladius: This ended up working for my use case. Serialising 10M strings takes ~.30 seconds, de-serialising takes longer at ~.60 seconds. Thanks!