
``http.cookies`` --- HTTP state management
******************************************

The ``http.cookies`` module defines classes for abstracting the
concept of cookies, an HTTP state management mechanism. It supports
both simple string-only cookies, and provides an abstraction for
having any serializable data-type as cookie value.

The module formerly strictly applied the parsing rules described in
the **RFC 2109** and **RFC 2068** specifications.  It has since been
discovered that MSIE 3.0x doesn't follow the character rules outlined
in those specs.  As a result, the parsing rules used are a bit less
strict.

Note: On encountering an invalid cookie, ``CookieError`` is raised, so if
  your cookie data comes from a browser you should always prepare for
  invalid data and catch ``CookieError`` on parsing.

exception exception http.cookies.CookieError

   Exception failing because of **RFC 2109** invalidity: incorrect
   attributes, incorrect *Set-Cookie* header, etc.

class class http.cookies.BaseCookie([input])

   This class is a dictionary-like object whose keys are strings and
   whose values are ``Morsel`` instances. Note that upon setting a key
   to a value, the value is first converted to a ``Morsel`` containing
   the key and the value.

   If *input* is given, it is passed to the ``load()`` method.

class class http.cookies.SimpleCookie([input])

   This class derives from ``BaseCookie`` and overrides
   ``value_decode()`` and ``value_encode()`` to be the identity and
   ``str()`` respectively.

See also:

   Module ``http.cookiejar``
      HTTP cookie handling for web *clients*.  The ``http.cookiejar``
      and ``http.cookies`` modules do not depend on each other.

   **RFC 2109** - HTTP State Management Mechanism
      This is the state management specification implemented by this
      module.


Cookie Objects
==============

BaseCookie.value_decode(val)

   Return a decoded value from a string representation. Return value
   can be any type. This method does nothing in ``BaseCookie`` --- it
   exists so it can be overridden.

BaseCookie.value_encode(val)

   Return an encoded value. *val* can be any type, but return value
   must be a string. This method does nothing in ``BaseCookie`` --- it
   exists so it can be overridden

   In general, it should be the case that ``value_encode()`` and
   ``value_decode()`` are inverses on the range of *value_decode*.

BaseCookie.output(attrs=None, header='Set-Cookie:', sep='\r\n')

   Return a string representation suitable to be sent as HTTP headers.
   *attrs* and *header* are sent to each ``Morsel``'s ``output()``
   method. *sep* is used to join the headers together, and is by
   default the combination ``'\r\n'`` (CRLF).

BaseCookie.js_output(attrs=None)

   Return an embeddable JavaScript snippet, which, if run on a browser
   which supports JavaScript, will act the same as if the HTTP headers
   was sent.

   The meaning for *attrs* is the same as in ``output()``.

BaseCookie.load(rawdata)

   If *rawdata* is a string, parse it as an ``HTTP_COOKIE`` and add
   the values found there as ``Morsel``s. If it is a dictionary, it is
   equivalent to:

      for k, v in rawdata.items():
          cookie[k] = v


Morsel Objects
==============

class class http.cookies.Morsel

   Abstract a key/value pair, which has some **RFC 2109** attributes.

   Morsels are dictionary-like objects, whose set of keys is constant
   --- the valid **RFC 2109** attributes, which are

   * ``expires``

   * ``path``

   * ``comment``

   * ``domain``

   * ``max-age``

   * ``secure``

   * ``version``

   * ``httponly``

   The attribute ``httponly`` specifies that the cookie is only
   transfered in HTTP requests, and is not accessible through
   JavaScript. This is intended to mitigate some forms of cross-site
   scripting.

   The keys are case-insensitive.

Morsel.value

   The value of the cookie.

Morsel.coded_value

   The encoded value of the cookie --- this is what should be sent.

Morsel.key

   The name of the cookie.

Morsel.set(key, value, coded_value)

   Set the *key*, *value* and *coded_value* members.

Morsel.isReservedKey(K)

   Whether *K* is a member of the set of keys of a ``Morsel``.

Morsel.output(attrs=None, header='Set-Cookie:')

   Return a string representation of the Morsel, suitable to be sent
   as an HTTP header. By default, all the attributes are included,
   unless *attrs* is given, in which case it should be a list of
   attributes to use. *header* is by default ``"Set-Cookie:"``.

Morsel.js_output(attrs=None)

   Return an embeddable JavaScript snippet, which, if run on a browser
   which supports JavaScript, will act the same as if the HTTP header
   was sent.

   The meaning for *attrs* is the same as in ``output()``.

Morsel.OutputString(attrs=None)

   Return a string representing the Morsel, without any surrounding
   HTTP or JavaScript.

   The meaning for *attrs* is the same as in ``output()``.


Example
=======

The following example demonstrates how to use the ``http.cookies``
module.

   >>> from http import cookies
   >>> C = cookies.SimpleCookie()
   >>> C["fig"] = "newton"
   >>> C["sugar"] = "wafer"
   >>> print(C) # generate HTTP headers
   Set-Cookie: fig=newton
   Set-Cookie: sugar=wafer
   >>> print(C.output()) # same thing
   Set-Cookie: fig=newton
   Set-Cookie: sugar=wafer
   >>> C = cookies.SimpleCookie()
   >>> C["rocky"] = "road"
   >>> C["rocky"]["path"] = "/cookie"
   >>> print(C.output(header="Cookie:"))
   Cookie: rocky=road; Path=/cookie
   >>> print(C.output(attrs=[], header="Cookie:"))
   Cookie: rocky=road
   >>> C = cookies.SimpleCookie()
   >>> C.load("chips=ahoy; vienna=finger") # load from a string (HTTP header)
   >>> print(C)
   Set-Cookie: chips=ahoy
   Set-Cookie: vienna=finger
   >>> C = cookies.SimpleCookie()
   >>> C.load('keebler="E=everybody; L=\\"Loves\\"; fudge=\\012;";')
   >>> print(C)
   Set-Cookie: keebler="E=everybody; L=\"Loves\"; fudge=\012;"
   >>> C = cookies.SimpleCookie()
   >>> C["oreo"] = "doublestuff"
   >>> C["oreo"]["path"] = "/"
   >>> print(C)
   Set-Cookie: oreo=doublestuff; Path=/
   >>> C = cookies.SimpleCookie()
   >>> C["twix"] = "none for you"
   >>> C["twix"].value
   'none for you'
   >>> C = cookies.SimpleCookie()
   >>> C["number"] = 7 # equivalent to C["number"] = str(7)
   >>> C["string"] = "seven"
   >>> C["number"].value
   '7'
   >>> C["string"].value
   'seven'
   >>> print(C)
   Set-Cookie: number=7
   Set-Cookie: string=seven
