it works!

iternotate.py

'''
// this does not work in st3

author: Dealga McArdle, 2013. 

http://www.sublimetext.com/docs/2/api_reference.html

Installation
- place iteration_notation.py in Data/Packages/User
- place dictionary entry in Keybindings, User
{ "keys": ["ctrl+shift+["], "command": "iternotate" }

Usage

highlight:
        for i in iterable:   (inluding the whitespace, it it's there)
            
press ctrl+shift+[, the plugin will output

        for(0 => int i; i<iterable.cap(); i++){
            iterable[i];
        }
'''

import sublime, sublime_plugin

def check_is_loopform(istr):
    # returns non None only if everything seems ok.

    # does not support tabs, but could. I don't use tabs so meh.
    # some preprocessing, count spaces to the left, store this
    restr = istr.lstrip()
    spaces = len(istr) - len(restr)
    restr = restr.strip()
    
    # python 2.6 has no 'startswith'
    if (not restr[:4] == "for "):
        print("must start with keyword for")
        return

    # explicitly split on space
    elements = restr.split(" ")
    if (not len(elements) == 4):
        print("must take form:  for i in some_array:")
        # print("got: {0} instead".format(restr))
        return
    
    if (not elements[2] == "in"):
        print("missing the  in   keyword")
        return

    if (not restr[-1] ==":"):
        print("must end with colon")
        return

    return [spaces, elements]

def perform_replacement(istr):
    content = check_is_loopform(istr)

    if not content:
        print("stuff here")
        return 

    ostr = """\
{0}for(0 => int {1}; {1}<{2}.cap(); {1}++){{
{0}    {2}[{1}];\n{0}}}"""

    amount_space = " "*content[0]
    print(repr(amount_space))
    a = ostr.format(amount_space, content[1][1], content[1][3][:-1])
    print(a)
    return a

def nothing_selected():
    sublime.status_message('nothing selected, fool')

class Iternotate(sublime_plugin.TextCommand):
    def run(self, edit):
        if not self.enabled():
            nothing_selected()
            return

        # sublime.status_message('here too')

        view = self.view
        sel = view.sel()[0]

        # just selected region
        selection = view.substr(sel)
        final = perform_replacement(selection)

        if not final:
            return

        edit = view.begin_edit()    # stick onto undo stack
        view.replace(edit, sel, final)

        # finalize this edit, use as one undo level
        view.end_edit(edit)

    
    def enabled(self):
        '''only allow 1 selection for version 0.1''' 

        sels   = self.view.sel()    # lists regions, 
        nsels  = len(sels)          # dir(sels[0]) for methods
        fsel   = sels[0]            # first selection

        if nsels == 1 and not fsel.empty():
            return True