Convert Markdown tables to html tables using Python

Question

I have a markdown table syntax string, say:

table_md=\
"| Tables        | Are           | Cool  |\n\
| ------------- |-------------| -----|\n\
| col 3 is      | right-aligned | $1600 |\n\
| col 2 is      | centered      |   $12 |\n\
| zebra stripes | are neat      |    $1 |\n"

I would like to convert it to html syntax table string:

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Tables</th>
<th>Are</th>
<th>Cool</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>col 3 is</td>
<td>right-aligned</td>
<td>$1600</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>col 2 is</td>
<td>centered</td>
<td>$12</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>zebra stripes</td>
<td>are neat</td>
<td>$1</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

First searching through stackoverflow, I have tried using this:

import markdown
table_html=markdown.markdown(table_md)

But the result is a html paragraph:

'<p>| Tables...    |</p>'

By gooling the issue, I have come to markdown extensions, and try add the extension to the command above:

table_html=markdown.markdown(table_md, extensions=[MyExtension(), \
'markdown.extensions.tables'])

Then it shows error saying that "NameError: name 'MyExtension' is not defined"

And there is no same situation in stackoverflow.

Please help me what to do with MyExtension above. Thank you!

I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because no effort whatsoever was shown! — Reblochon Masque, Nov 01 '17 at 05:50
Thanks for reminding! I have added my efforts to the question. — Tin Luu, Nov 01 '17 at 06:08

score 12 · Accepted Answer · edited Nov 01 '17 at 19:05

firstly you can have your input like below:

table_md="| Tables        | Are           | Cool  |\n\
| ------------- |-------------| -----|\n\
| col 3 is      | right-aligned | $1600 |\n\
| col 2 is      | centered      |   $12 |\n\
| zebra stripes | are neat      |    $1 |\n"

use an extension markdown.extensions.tables

table_html=markdown.markdown(table_md, extensions=['markdown.extensions.tables'])

Output is:

>>> print table_html
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Tables</th>
<th>Are</th>
<th>Cool</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>col 3 is</td>
<td>right-aligned</td>
<td>$1600</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>col 2 is</td>
<td>centered</td>
<td>$12</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>zebra stripes</td>
<td>are neat</td>
<td>$1</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

you figured it out too :) – be_good_do_good Nov 01 '17 at 06:39 — be_good_do_good, Nov 01 '17 at 06:39

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 01 '17 at 06:29

I found the solution, the extension library state that "The list of extensions may contain instances of extensions and/or strings of extension names", so MyExtension() is optional, so I can delete it in this case, the solution is:

table_html=markdown.markdown(table_md, extensions=['markdown.extensions.tables'])

For those who want to adding their own additions or changes to the syntax of Markdown, you can use MyExtension as follow:

from markdown.extensions import Extension
class MyExtension(Extension):
    # define your extension here...

markdown.markdown(text, extensions=[MyExtension(option='value')])

Convert Markdown tables to html tables using Python

2 Answers2