Splitting comma delimited strings in python

Question

This question has been asked and answered many times before. Some examples: [1], [2]. But there doesn\'t seem to be something somewhat more general. What I\'m looking for is

Answer 1

While it's not possible to use a Regular Expression, the following simple code will achieve the desired result:

def split_at(text, delimiter, opens='<([', closes='>)]', quotes='"\''):
    result = []
    buff = ""
    level = 0
    is_quoted = False

    for char in text:
        if char in delimiter and level == 0 and not is_quoted:
            result.append(buff)
            buff = ""
        else:
            buff += char

            if char in opens:
                level += 1
            if char in closes:
                level -= 1
            if char in quotes:
                is_quoted = not is_quoted

    if not buff == "":
        result.append(buff)

    return result

Running this in the interpreter:

>>> split_at('obj<1, 2, 3>, x(4, 5), "msg, with comma"', ',')                                                                                                                                 
#=>['obj<1, 2, 3>', ' x(4, 5)', ' "msg with comma"']