#!/usr/bin/python
import sys, time

class TimeStamper(object):
    def __init__(self, timeFormat = None):
        self.old_stdout = None

        #Set the time format for output
        self.__time_format = timeFormat or "%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S"

    def enable(self):
        if self.old_stdout == None:
            #get a copy of stdout
            self.old_stdout = sys.stdout

            #place ourself in sys.stdout to intercept 
            #calls to sys.stdout.write()
            sys.stdout = self

            #initialize softspace for print's benefit.  
            #(optional, I think)
            self.__softspace = 0
            
            #initialize show timestamp for us
            self.__show_timestamp = 1

    def disable(self):
        if self.old_stdout is not None:
            #put the REAL stdout back in sys.stdout
            sys.stdout = self.old_stdout
            self.old_stdout = None
        
    def write(self, output):
        if self.__show_timestamp:
            self.__show_timestamp = 0
            tt = time.localtime(time.time())
            timeString = '%s: ' % time.strftime(self.__time_format, tt)
            self.old_stdout.write(timeString)
            
        if output == '\n':
            self.__show_timestamp = 1

        self.old_stdout.write("%s" % output)

if __name__ == "__main__":
    ts = TimeStamper()
    
    ts.enable()
    print 'test', "apple", ['list', 'of','items'], \
        "\nMultiple lines get one timestamp,\nunless seperated by a ", \
        "\n", "solitary newline."
    print
    print

    ts.disable()
    print 'test', "apple", ['list', 'of','items'], \
        "\nMultiple lines get one timestamp,\nunless seperated by a ", \
        "\n", "solitary newline."
    print
    print