Django Convenience Utility Functions

utils.py

# Copyright 2011 Gabriel Hurley <gabriel@strikeawe.com>
#
# Licensed under the OSI-approved Fair License:
#
# Usage of this work is permitted provided that this
# instrument is retained with the work, so that any
# entity that uses the work is notified of this instrument.
#
# DISCLAIMER: THIS WORK IS WITHOUT WARRANTY.

import threading
from datetime import datetime, timedelta

from django.conf import settings
from django.http import HttpResponse
from django.utils import simplejson as json
from django.utils.dateformat import format, time_format


def send_threaded(msg, fail_silently=True, *args):
    """ Sends an email message in a new thread.

    Example::

        from django.core.mail import EmailMessage


        email = EmailMessage('Hello',
                             'Body goes here',
                             'from@example.com',
                             ['to@example.com'])
        send_threaded(email)
        ...

    That will cause the email to be sent and the surrounding code
    can continue executing without waiting for the email server
    to process the message.
    """
    t = threading.Thread(target=msg.send,
                         args=args,
                         kwargs={'fail_silently': fail_silently})
    t.setDaemon(True)
    t.start()


def relative_time(input):
    """
    Returns a time-formatter string for times less than 12 hours
    from now, or a date for times greater than 12 hours from now.
    """
    if datetime.now() - input < timedelta(.5):
        return time_format(input, settings.TIME_FORMAT)
    else:
        return format(input, settings.DATE_FORMAT)


def render_to_json(data):
    """ Returns an HttpResponse containing the JSON-formatter data. """
    json_data = json.dumps(data, ensure_ascii=False)
    return HttpResponse(json_data, mimetype="application/json")