Convert a python 'type' object to a string

Question

I'm wondering how to convert a python 'type' object into a string using python's reflective capabilities.

For example, I'd like to print the type of an object

print "My type is " + type(someObject) # (which obviously doesn't work like this) 

Answer 1

print type(someObject).__name__ 

If that doesn't suit you, use this:

print some_instance.__class__.__name__ 

Example:

class A:     pass print type(A()) # prints <type 'instance'> print A().__class__.__name__ # prints A 

Also, it seems there are differences with type() when using new-style classes vs old-style (that is, inheritance from object). For a new-style class, type(someObject).__name__ returns the name, and for old-style classes it returns instance.

Answer 2

>>> class A(object): pass  >>> e = A() >>> e <__main__.A object at 0xb6d464ec> >>> print type(e) <class '__main__.A'> >>> print type(e).__name__ A >>>  

what do you mean by convert into a string? you can define your own repr and str_ methods:

>>> class A(object):     def __repr__(self):         return 'hei, i am A or B or whatever'  >>> e = A() >>> e hei, i am A or B or whatever >>> str(e) hei, i am A or B or whatever 

or i dont know..please add explainations ;)