python list to markdown table.md

python list to markdown table.md

Here is a function to convert a python list of lists into a markdown formatted table:

def make_markdown_table(array, align: str =None):
    """
    Args:
        array: The array to make into a table. Mush be a rectangular array
               (constant width and height).
        align: The alignment of the cells : 'left', 'center' or 'right'.
    """
    # make sure every elements are strings
    array = [[str(elt) for elt in line] for line in array]
    # get the width of each column
    widths = [max(len(line[i]) for line in array) for i in range(len(array[0]))]
    # make every width at least 3 colmuns, because the separator needs it
    widths = [max(w, 3) for w in widths]
    # center text according to the widths
    array = [[elt.center(w) for elt, w in zip(line, widths)] for line in array]

    # separate the header and the body
    array_head, *array_body = array

    header = '| ' + ' | '.join(array_head) + ' |'

    # alignment of the cells
    align = str(align).lower()  # make sure `align` is a lowercase string
    if align == 'none':
        # we are just setting the position of the : in the table.
        # here there are none
        border_left   =  '| '
        border_center = ' | '
        border_right  = ' |'
    elif align == 'center':
        border_left   =  '|:'
        border_center = ':|:'
        border_right  = ':|'
    elif align == 'left':
        border_left   =  '|:'
        border_center = ' |:'
        border_right  = ' |'
    elif align == 'right':
        border_left   =  '| '
        border_center = ':| '
        border_right  = ':|'
    else:
        raise ValueError("align must be 'left', 'right' or 'center'.")
    separator = border_left + border_center.join(['-'*w for w in widths]) + border_right

    # body of the table
    body = [''] * len(array)  # empty string list that we fill after
    for idx, line in enumerate(array[1:]):
        # for each line, change the body at the correct index
        body[idx] = '| ' + ' | '.join(line) + ' |'
    body = '\n'.join(body)

    return header + '\n' + separator + '\n' + body


T = [["hi", "hello", "How do you do ?"],
     [1, 1, 1],
     [2, 12345678, 2],
     ['contents', 42, 73]]

print(make_markdown_table(T, align='left'))

Examples

>>> T = [["hi", "hello", "How do you do ?"],
...      [1, 1, 1],
...      [2, 12345678, 2],
...      ['contents', 42, 73]]
>>> print(make_markdown_table(T))
|    hi    |  hello   | How do you do ? |
| -------- | -------- | --------------- |
|    1     |    1     |        1        |
|    2     | 12345678 |        2        |
| contents |    42    |        73       |

>>> print(make_markdown_table(T, align='left'))
|    hi    |  hello   | How do you do ? |
|:-------- |:-------- |:--------------- |
|    1     |    1     |        1        |
|    2     | 12345678 |        2        |
| contents |    42    |        73       |

>>> print(make_markdown_table(T, align='center'))
|    hi    |  hello   | How do you do ? |
|:--------:|:--------:|:---------------:|
|    1     |    1     |        1        |
|    2     | 12345678 |        2        |
| contents |    42    |        73       |

>>> print(make_markdown_table(T, align='right'))
|    hi    |  hello   | How do you do ? |
| --------:| --------:| ---------------:|
|    1     |    1     |        1        |
|    2     | 12345678 |        2        |
| contents |    42    |        73       |

Hello,
i replaced for idx, line in enumerate(array): by for idx, line in enumerate(array[1:]): because I expect the first line to be the header and I do not want to repeat it :)
But thanks for the snippet !

@linceaerian : totally right !
I’m correcting that one, thanks.