KeyError on Python 3.7.7

[Filco306]

Python version: Python 3.7.7 Used pip3 to install the package.

Traceback:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.7/site-packages/base65536/core.py", line 117, in encode
    code_point = BLOCK_START[b2] + b1
KeyError: 's'

Reproduce:

import base65536
base65536.encode('asdsgsdfhsfgdhsdghsrdt')
# OR 
a = 'asdsgsdfhsfgdhsdghsrdt'
base65536.encode(a)

What is the problem here?

[Artifact0]

In core.py the comments say: "Encodes bytes to a base65536 string." and "Decodes bytes from a base65536 string." The input would need to be bytes, rather than a string. This article from AskPython helps clarify how to use python's built-in encode/decode functions. The encoding can be specified, such as utf-8, though I believe it defaults to bytes, which is what to use here. For Example:

import base65536
input_string = "Hello World"
b65k_string = base65536.encode(input_string .encode())
print(b65k_string)

Here is another example, using both encoding and decoding in a single line: print(base65536.decode(base65536.encode("Hello World".encode())).decode()) That is encoding "Hello World' first from plaintext string into bytes, then from bytes into a base65536 string, then decoding the b65k string back into bytes (which would look like b'Hello World' if printed) then decoded back from bytes into a regular string again, and finally printing the string as it was when first input.

Here is one way to implement it into simple functions that automatically encode/decode:

def b65ke(xyz):
	zyx = base65536.encode(yzx.encode())
	return zyx

def b65kd(zyx):
	xzy = base65536.decode(zyx).decode()
	return xyz

tl;dr? the problem is inputting a string, not bytes.

[Filco306]

Oh, now I feel a bit stupid. Of course, I see the b in front of the b"Hello world!" in the docs now.

Perhaps there might be a value of adding a function able to encode strings directly, or even integrate it into the encoding function? It is of course just one simple command, but still more comfortable for the user.