Overhaul String Representation of TelegramObject (#3234)

docs/source/telegram.telegramobject.rst

@@ -4,3 +4,4 @@ telegram.TelegramObject
 .. autoclass:: telegram.TelegramObject
     :members:
     :show-inheritance:
+    :special-members: __repr__

telegram/_telegramobject.py

@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ import inspect
 import json
 from copy import deepcopy
 from itertools import chain
-from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Dict, List, Optional, Set, Tuple, Type, TypeVar, Union
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Dict, List, Optional, Set, Sized, Tuple, Type, TypeVar, Union
 
 from telegram._utils.types import JSONDict
 from telegram._utils.warnings import warn
@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@ class TelegramObject:
         * Removed argument and attribute ``bot`` for several subclasses. Use
           :meth:`set_bot` and :meth:`get_bot` instead.
         * Removed the possibility to pass arbitrary keyword arguments for several subclasses.
+        * String representations objects of this type was overhauled. See :meth:`__repr__` for
+          details. As this class doesn't implement :meth:`object.__str__`, the default
+          implementation will be used, which is equivalent to :meth:`__repr__`.
 
     Arguments:
         api_kwargs (Dict[:obj:`str`, any], optional): |toapikwargsarg|
@@ -100,8 +103,40 @@ class TelegramObject:
             if getattr(self, key, True) is None:
                 setattr(self, key, self.api_kwargs.pop(key))
 
-    def __str__(self) -> str:
+    def __repr__(self) -> str:
-        return str(self.to_dict())
+        """Gives a string representation of this object in the form
+        ``ClassName(attr_1=value_1, attr_2=value_2, ...)``, where attributes are omitted if they
+        have the value :obj:`None` or empty instances of :class:`collections.abc.Sized` (e.g.
+        :class:`list`, :class:`dict`, :class:`set`, :class:`str`, etc.).
+
+        As this class doesn't implement :meth:`object.__str__`, the default implementation
+        will be used, which is equivalent to :meth:`__repr__`.
+
+        Returns:
+            :obj:`str`
+        """
+        # * `__repr__` goal is to be unambiguous
+        # * `__str__` goal is to be readable
+        # * `str()` calls `__repr__`, if `__str__` is not defined
+        # In our case "unambiguous" and "readable" largely coincide, so we can use the same logic.
+        as_dict = self._get_attrs(recursive=False, include_private=False)
+
+        if not self.api_kwargs:
+            # Drop api_kwargs from the representation, if empty
+            as_dict.pop("api_kwargs", None)
+
+        contents = ", ".join(
+            f"{k}={as_dict[k]!r}"
+            for k in sorted(as_dict.keys())
+            if (
+                as_dict[k] is not None
+                and not (
+                    isinstance(as_dict[k], Sized)
+                    and len(as_dict[k]) == 0  # type: ignore[arg-type]
+                )
+            )
+        )
+        return f"{self.__class__.__name__}({contents})"
 
     def __getitem__(self, item: str) -> object:
         if item == "from":

tests/test_telegramobject.py

@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ from pathlib import Path
 
 import pytest
 
-from telegram import Bot, Chat, Message, PhotoSize, TelegramObject, User
+from telegram import Bot, BotCommand, Chat, Message, PhotoSize, TelegramObject, User
 
 
 def all_subclasses(cls):
@@ -284,3 +284,47 @@ class TestTelegramObject:
         assert d._private == s._private  # Can't test for identity since two equal strings is True
         assert d._bot == s._bot and d._bot is s._bot
         assert d.normal == s.normal
+
+    def test_string_representation(self):
+        class TGO(TelegramObject):
+            def __init__(self, api_kwargs=None):
+                super().__init__(api_kwargs=api_kwargs)
+                self.string_attr = "string"
+                self.int_attr = 42
+                self.to_attr = BotCommand("command", "description")
+                self.list_attr = [
+                    BotCommand("command_1", "description_1"),
+                    BotCommand("command_2", "description_2"),
+                ]
+                self.dict_attr = {
+                    BotCommand("command_1", "description_1"): BotCommand(
+                        "command_2", "description_2"
+                    )
+                }
+                self.empty_tuple_attrs = ()
+                self.empty_str_attribute = ""
+                # Should not be included in string representation
+                self.none_attr = None
+
+        expected_without_api_kwargs = (
+            "TGO(dict_attr={BotCommand(command='command_1', description='description_1'): "
+            "BotCommand(command='command_2', description='description_2')}, int_attr=42, "
+            "list_attr=[BotCommand(command='command_1', description='description_1'), "
+            "BotCommand(command='command_2', description='description_2')], "
+            "string_attr='string', to_attr=BotCommand(command='command', "
+            "description='description'))"
+        )
+        assert str(TGO()) == expected_without_api_kwargs
+        assert repr(TGO()) == expected_without_api_kwargs
+
+        expected_with_api_kwargs = (
+            "TGO(api_kwargs={'foo': 'bar'}, dict_attr={BotCommand(command='command_1', "
+            "description='description_1'): BotCommand(command='command_2', "
+            "description='description_2')}, int_attr=42, "
+            "list_attr=[BotCommand(command='command_1', description='description_1'), "
+            "BotCommand(command='command_2', description='description_2')], "
+            "string_attr='string', to_attr=BotCommand(command='command', "
+            "description='description'))"
+        )
+        assert str(TGO(api_kwargs={"foo": "bar"})) == expected_with_api_kwargs
+        assert repr(TGO(api_kwargs={"foo": "bar"})) == expected_with_api_kwargs