Python: avoiding fraction simplification

Question

Hi all,

I'm working on a music app' in Python and would like to use the fractions module to handle time signatures amongst other things. My problem is that fractions get simplified, i.e.:

>>> from fractions import Fraction
>>> x = Fraction(4, 4)
>>> x
Fraction(1, 1)

However, it is important from a musical point of view that 4/4 stays 4/4 even though it equals 1. Is there any built-in way to avoid that behaviour?

Thanks!

Answer 1

You should use some data structure other than Fraction. Just a plain tuple would be simplest, though you could also make your own class. If you need to do calculations, do them on the individual integers that make up the time signature.

Answer 2

Yes: make a custom class for it.

Musical time signatures are not fractions, so it doesn't make sense to represent them with a math class.