sequence_to_string

lsst.utils.iteration.sequence_to_string(values: list[int | str]) → str

Convert a list of integers or strings into a compact string representation by merging consecutive values or sequences.

This function takes a list of integers or strings, sorts them, identifies sequences where consecutive numbers differ by a consistent stride, or strings with common prefixes, and returns a string that compactly represents these sequences. Consecutive numbers are merged into ranges, and strings with common prefixes are handled to produce a concise representation.

>>> getNameOfSet([1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9])
'1..3^5^7..9'
>>> getNameOfSet(['node1', 'node2', 'node3'])
'node1..node3'
>>> getNameOfSet([10, 20, 30, 40])
'10..40:10'

Parameters:

valueslist[int, str]:

A list of items to be compacted. Must all be of the same type.

Returns:

sequence_as_stringstr

A compact string representation of the input list.

Notes

• The function handles both integers and strings.

• For strings with common prefixes, only the differing suffixes are

  considered.

• The stride is determined as the minimum difference between

  consecutive numbers.

• Strings without common prefixes are listed individually.