Unicode issue in Django

Question

I seem to have a unicode problem with the deal_instance_name in the Deal model.

It says:

coercing to Unicode: need string or buffer, __proxy__ found

The exception happens on this line:

return smart_unicode(self.deal_type.deal_name) + _(u' - Set No.') + str(self.set)

The line works if I remove smart_unicode(self.deal_type.deal_name) but why?

Back then in Django 1.1 someone had the same problem on Stackoverflow I have tried both the unicode() as well as the new smart_unicode() without any joy.

What could I be missing please?

class Deal(models.Model): def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs): super(Deal, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs) self.deal_instance_name = self.__unicode__() deal_type = models.ForeignKey(DealType) deal_instance_name = models.CharField(_(u'Deal Name'), max_length=100) set = models.IntegerField(_(u'Set Number')) def __unicode__(self): return smart_unicode(self.deal_type.deal_name) + _(u' - Set No.') + smart_unicode(self.set) class Meta: verbose_name = _(u'Deal') verbose_name_plural = _(u'Deals')

Dealtype:

class DealType(models.Model): deal_name = models.CharField(_(u'Deal Name'), max_length=40) deal_description = models.TextField(_(u'Deal Description'), blank=True) def __unicode__(self): return smart_unicode(self.deal_name) class Meta: verbose_name = _(u'Deal Type') verbose_name_plural = _(u'Deal Types')

Thomas Orozco · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-11 21:58:12Z

Actually, the smart_unicode part has nothing to do with your issue:

from django.utils.translation import ugettext_lazy stuff = u'abc' + ugettext_lazy(u'efg')

Would raise the exact same issue.

That's basically because ugettext_lazy(u'efg') will not return an unicode string, but a __proxy__, which will raise an error when you do u'abc' + ugettext_lazy(u'eg').

You would get the exact same issue with: u'a' + 1.

You can solve this issue using:

from django.utils.translation import ugettext_lazy stuff = u'abc {0}'.format(ugettext_lazy(u'efg'))

Alternatively, you could force ugettext_lazy(u'efg') into an unicode object using unicode(ugettext_lazy(u'efg')).

Ahh I see. So I do that to the return of __unicode()__, correct ?
@Kave yes, replace smart_unicode(self.deal_type.deal_name) + _(u' - Set No.') + smart_unicode(self.set) with u'{0} {1} {2}'.format(self.deal_type.deal_name, _(u' - Set No.'), self.set)
Perfect. I solved it similar to your suggestion, is this also ok? Seems to be working: return u'%s%s%s' % (self.deal_type.deal_name, _(u' - Set No.'), self.set)
@Kave Yes, it works too! (But you should be using str.format in newer code! ;) )
ahh thanks for correction. I learned Django/Python from an old Django 1.0 book. :)

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