Python String Concatenation - concatenating '\n'
I am new to Python and need help trying to understand two problems i am getting relating to concatenating strings. I am aware that strings can be added to concatenate each other using + symbol like so.
>>> 'a' + 'b'
'ab'
However, i just recently found out you do not even need to use the + symbol to concatenate strings (by accident/fiddling around), which leads to my first problem to understand - How/why is this possible!?
>>> print 'a' + 'b'
ab
Furthermore, I also understand that the '\n' string produces a 'newline'. But when used in conjunction with my first problem. I get the following.
>>> print '\n' 'a'*7
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
So my second problem arises - "Why do i get 7 new lines of the letter 'a'. In other words, shouldn't the repeater symbol, *, repeat the letter 'a' 7 times!? As follows.
>>> print 'a'*7
aaaaaaa
Please help me clarify what is going on.
Answer
When "a" "b" is turned into "ab", this ins't the same as concatenating the strings with +. When the Python source code is being read, adjacent strings are automatically joined for convenience.
This isn't a normal operation, which is why it isn't following the order of operations you expect for + and *.
print '\n' 'a'*7
is actually interpreted the same as
print '\na'*7
and not as
print '\n' + 'a'*7