René's URL Explorer Experiment

{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"DiscussionForumPosting","headline":"Escape # character in matplotlibrc","articleBody":"\u003c!--\r\nWelcome! Thanks for thinking of a way to improve Matplotlib.\r\n\r\n\r\nBefore creating a new feature request please search the issues for relevant feature requests.\r\n--\u003e\r\n\r\n### Problem\r\n\r\nIt currently seems impossible to escape the `#` character inside matplotlibrc files. I would like to include it as part of the parameter value for `text.latex.preamble` to add a LaTeX command definition such as `\\newcommand{\\foo}[1]{\\bar{#1}}`.\r\n\r\nWhen reading the file, each line is [split](https://github.com/matplotlib/matplotlib/blob/2219872528f2f7d1557126b15451489918225318/lib/matplotlib/__init__.py#L776) at the `#` character and everything after it assumed as comment and thus discarded.\r\n\r\n\u003c!--\r\nProvide a clear and concise description of the problem this feature will solve. \r\n\r\nFor example:\r\n* I'm always frustrated when [...] because [...]\r\n* I would like it if [...] happened when I [...] because [...]\r\n* Here is a sample image of what I am asking for [...]\r\n--\u003e\r\n\r\n### Proposed Solution\r\n\r\n\u003c!-- Provide a clear and concise description of a way to accomplish what you want. For example:\r\n\r\n* Add an option so that when [...]  [...] will happen\r\n --\u003e\r\n\r\nOne solution would be to replace the line\r\n\r\n```python\r\nstrippedline = line.split('#', 1)[0].strip()\r\n```\r\n\r\nwith a function that escapes `#` character(s). It would look something like this:\r\n\r\n```python\r\ndef strip_comment_with_escaped_octothorpe(line):\r\n    splitline = line.split('#')\r\n    escaped_line = []\r\n    for i in range(len(splitline)):\r\n        segment = splitline[i]\r\n        if segment[-1] is '\\':  # the character was escaped with '\\#'\r\n            segment = segment[:-1]  # remove the escape character '\\'\r\n        escaped_line.append(segment)\r\n    if splitline[-2][-1] is '\\':  # the last segment was an actual comment\r\n        escaped_line = escaped_line[:-1]\r\n    return ''.join(escaped_line)  # join back\r\n\r\nstrippedline = strip_comment_with_escaped_octothorpe(line).strip()\r\n```\r\n\r\n\r\n### Additional context and prior art\r\n\r\n\u003c!-- Add any other context or screenshots about the feature request here. You can also include links to examples of other programs that have something similar to your request. For example:\r\n\r\n* Another project [...] solved this by [...]\r\n--\u003e\r\n\r\nPotential other use cases:\r\n- `text.latex.preamble` and `pgf.preamble`: Not just limited to `\\newcommand`'s `#1`\r\n- `savefig.directory`: File paths might contain `#`\r\n- `keymap`: the `#` key cannot be remapped currently\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n","author":{"url":"https://github.com/janniklasrose","@type":"Person","name":"janniklasrose"},"datePublished":"2021-01-13T16:16:51.000Z","interactionStatistic":{"@type":"InteractionCounter","interactionType":"https://schema.org/CommentAction","userInteractionCount":3},"url":"https://github.com/19288/matplotlib/issues/19288"}