Incorrect str-format error for bytes interpolation when `__bytes__` method exists
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Description
When the % operator is used to format a bytes string with a placeholder of %b (bytes) and an argument of type bytearray the interpolation will succeed as bytearray has a __bytes__ method as per PEP 0461. The same is also true of memoryview objects as well as any type with a __bytes__ method.
MyPy will not flag an error for bytearray or memoryview objects but will for classes with a __bytes__ method. If --disable-bytearray-promotion or --disable-memoryview-promotion are used then these string interpolations will be flagged as a str-format error - presumably is it stops silently treating these classes as equivalent to bytes.
PEP 0461 states that %b should be correct for any class with a __bytes__ method.
%b will insert a series of bytes. These bytes are collected in one of two ways:
To Reproduce
MyPy reports no errors with this code by default.
a = b"foo"
b = bytearray(a)
c = memoryview(a)
x = b"%b" % a
y = b"%b" % b
z = b"%b" % c
With --disable-bytearray-promotion it reports
/tmp/test.py:6: error: Incompatible types in string interpolation (expression has type "bytearray", placeholder has type "bytes") [str-format]
Similarly
class X:
def __bytes__(self) -> bytes:
return b"X"
m = b"%b" % X()
Will produce the error
/tmp/test.py:6: error: Incompatible types in string interpolation (expression has type "X", placeholder has type "bytes") [str-format]
Both of these samples run without error and with the expected behaviour.
Expected Behavior
No str-format error reported for interpolating %b placeholder in bytes string for objects with a __bytes__ method.
Your Environment
- Mypy version used: 1.17.1
- Mypy command-line flags: Defaults or --disable-bytearrary-promotion or --disable-memoryview-promotion
- Mypy configuration options from
mypy.ini(and other config files): - Python version used: 3.13.2
Contributor guide
First steps
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Research direction
No source files or tests are named. Start by running the provided Python reproducer with the default settings and each promotion flag disabled, then locate the str-format checking path for bytes %b interpolation. Done means objects with __bytes__, including the shown custom class, no longer produce a str-format error while incompatible values still do.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- python
- Domain
- devtools
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 3/5
- Estimated time
- 1-2 days
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 48/100