template variable dictionary lookups use arguments as strings not as variable names

[gt-django@…]

I was looking at trying to do something in a template like:

{% for obj in object_list %}

{{ ratings_dict.obj }}

But it didn't work. Testing shows that my problem is that the template system doesn't do a dictionary lookup of the VARIABLE obj, but rather of the string "obj".

The docs show an example:

from django.core.template import Context, Template
t = Template("My name is {{ person.first_name }}.")
d = {"person": {"first_name": "Joe", "last_name": "Johnson"}}
t.render(Context(d))

"My name is Joe."

Perhaps you might want to first attempt to resolve the variable "first_name" (as in the above example) and then if it doesn't resolve, then treat it as a character string.

Or, since it would be easy to explicitly specify it AS a character string (e.g. {{ person."first_name" }} for those times when you want the string first_name instead of the variable first_name to be used, that might be an alternative implementation.

I don't know if this is a "defect" or an enhancement, but I'll opt for "enhancement" and let the developers decide.

Thank you

[Adrian Holovaty]

This is a bit out of the scope of the template system at this point.

[gt-django@…]

ok... then please update the docs to make it clear when one uses template variables which parts are taken as literal strings and which parts are resolved as variables.

i.e. {{ alpha.bravo.delta.echo }}
Is it just "alpha" that's resolved as a variable? or is it dependent on which lookup succeeds?

(I still think that always resolving each part as a variable unless it's explicitly quoted text is better -- i.e. if when you want it, just say alpha."bravo",delta,"echo" )

Thanks