Usage and examples of Python string expandtabs()

Python string methods

The expandtabs() method returns a string copy where all tab characters '\t' are replaced with space characters until the next multiple of the tabsize parameter.

The syntax of the expandtabs() method is:

string.expandtabs(tabsize)

expandtabs() parameter

The expandtabs() function uses an integer tabsize parameter. The preset tabsize value is8.

expandtabs() returns value

expandtabs() returns a string where all'\ t'All characters are replaced with space characters until the next multiple of the tabsize parameter.

Example1：expandtabs() without parameters

str　=　'xyz\t12345\tabc'
#　No parameters passed
#　Default tabsize is8
result　=　str.expandtabs()
print(result)

When running the program, the output is:

xyz　　　　　12345　　　abc

How does expandtabs() work in Python?

expandtabs() method tracks the current cursor position.

In the first'\ t'the position of the character is3. And, the position of tabsize is8(if no parameter is passed).

The expandtabs() character is replaced with spaces'\ t', until the next tab stops." \ t"the position of3, the first tab is8. Therefore, the number of spaces after "xyz" is5.

The next tab is a multiple of tabsize. The next tab is16,24,32, and so on.

Now, the second'\ t'the position of the character is13. And, the next tab is16. Therefore, in '12345' after3a space.

Example2：expandtabs() with different parameters

str　=　"xyz\t12345\tabc"
print('Original string:',　str)
#　tabsize is set to2
　2:',　str.expandtabs(2))
#　tabsize is set to3
　3:',　str.expandtabs(3))
#　tabsize is set to4
　4:',　str.expandtabs(4))
#　tabsize is set to5
　5:',　str.expandtabs(5))
#　tabsize is set to6
　6:',　str.expandtabs(6))

When running the program, the output is:

Original string:　xyz	12345	abc
Tabsize　2:　xyz　12345　abc
Tabsize　3:　xyz　　　12345　abc
Tabsize　4:　xyz　12345　　　abc
Tabsize　5:　xyz　　12345　　　　　abc
Tabsize　6:　xyz　　　12345　abc

Usage explanation

• The default tabsize value is8. The tab is8,16, and so on. Therefore, when you print the original string, after "xyz"5spaces, " 12345" after3a space.

• The tabsize will be set to2when. The tab is2,4,6,8, and so on. For "xyz", the tab is4, for the " 12345", the tab is10. Therefore, after "xyz"1a space, in the " 12345After the quote1a space.

• The tabsize will be set to3when. The tab is3,6,9, and so on. For "xyz", the tab is6, for the " 12345", the tab is12. Therefore, after "xyz"3a space, in the " 12345After the quote1a space.

• The tabsize will be set to4when. The tab is4,8,12, and so on. For "xyz", the tab is4, for the " 12345", the tab is12. Therefore, after "xyz"1a space, in the " 12345After the quote3a space.

• Set tabsize to5when. The tab is5,10,15, and so on. For "xyz", the tab is5, for the " 12345", the tab is15. Therefore, after "xyz"2a space, in the " 12345After the quote5a space.

• Set tabsize to6when. The tab is6,12,18, and so on. For "xyz", the tab is6, for the " 12345", the tab is12. Therefore, after "xyz"3a space, in the " 12345After the quote1a space.

Python string methods