Python - Object writing data that is unreadable -

python first langauge i'm learning , i'm studying file input/output systems storing simple data. i've briefly done exercise regarding simple writing , pickling. purposes, use simple writing, edit "save files".

i have been successful in storing , retrieving data when data string. problem when store object, stores unreadable format:

<__main__.character object @ 0x0078fe10> 

how can turn unreadable format above in object? python have built-in function allows this?

or have convert object string, containing important variables before writing in data file?

edit: oops, forgot code!

class character(object):     def __init__(self,name,exp,atk):         self.name = name         self.exp = exp         self.lvl = int(self.exp/100)         self.health = 10         self.atk = atk         if atk == none:             self.atk = lvl*1.5      def stats(self):         print(self.name, end=" level ")         print(self.lvl)         print("with", self.health, "health") 

and here's reading part of i/o system. can see reads data > converts string list > splits arguments in list > use arguments object creation.

with open('chardata', 'r') data:     data = data.read()  # read contents of file memory.     print (data)      my_list = data.splitlines()     print (my_list[0])  # print list.     char_data = ast.literal_eval(my_list[0])  new_character = character(*char_data) 

then have own function display object stats:

new_character.stats() 

spits out

harley level 3 10 health 

so can see, works fine. if use "newfile.write(new_character)" string of object, "<main.character object @ 0x0215fe10>" above.

i've been messing str in object past hour, haven't found way use function find solution , looking guidance more experienced person.

edit matt habel:

def __str__(self):     print ("[\"", end="")     print (self.name, end="")     print ("\"", end=", ")     print (self.exp, end="")     print (",", end=" ")     print (self.atk, end="")     print ("]") 

this outputs this:

["harley", 300, 3]     print(new_character) typeerror: __str__ returned non-string (type nonetype) 

my reasoning making own "list" can use "ast" module define list arguments. later convert list above "new_character2", , write using this:

newfile = open("chardata","w") newfile.write(new_character2) 

now use:

instead of complicated parsing above, i'm using return function.

    def export(self):         self.name = str(self.name)         self.exp = str(self.exp)         self.atk = str(self.atk)         matt_data = "[\"%s\", %s, %s]" % (self.name, self.exp, self.atk)         return matt_data  matt_export = new_character.export() print(matt_export) 

spits out:

["harley", 600, 3] 

and no error code!

that format default string representation python gives objects. can check calling str(object) on instance of 1 of classes. if want readable string of object, can provide custom __str__(self) method on class. change objects string representation output file.

as actual question turning default representation 1 of objects: it's impossible. that's because default representation tells name of object , memory location stored. because memory transient (it isn't available program across different times run it), can't take memory address , turn 1 of objects.

if want this, there few ways go it:

1. you provide human readable __str__ method. output data can read , make easy parse object. you'll have reading object's string representation file, extracting data necessary create new object, , creating object.
2. you can serialization methods. output object in form easy computer read , write, you'll unable read it. there lots of serialization libraries, python provides pickle library out of box.
3. you can human readable data formats json, yaml, etc. using 1 of these provide both human readable file , great libraries working files.