[algorithm] conversion from infix to prefix

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shunting-yard_algorithm

The shunting yard algorithm can also be applied to produce prefix notation (also known as polish notation). To do this one would simply start from the end of a string of tokens to be parsed and work backwards, reverse the output queue (therefore making the output queue an output stack), and flip the left and right parenthesis behavior (remembering that the now-left parenthesis behavior should pop until it finds a now-right parenthesis).

from collections import deque
def convertToPN(expression):
    precedence = {}
    precedence["*"] = precedence["/"] = 3
    precedence["+"] = precedence["-"] = 2
    precedence[")"] = 1

    stack  = []
    result = deque([])
    for token in expression[::-1]:
        if token == ')':
            stack.append(token)
        elif token == '(':
            while stack:
                t = stack.pop()
                if t == ")": break
                result.appendleft(t)
        elif token not in precedence:
            result.appendleft(token)
        else:
            # XXX: associativity should be considered here
            # https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operator_associativity
            while stack and precedence[stack[-1]] > precedence[token]:
                result.appendleft(stack.pop())
            stack.append(token)

    while stack:
        result.appendleft(stack.pop())

    return list(result)

expression = "(a - b) / c * (d + e - f / g)".replace(" ", "")
convertToPN(expression)

step through:

step 1 : token ) ; stack:[ ) ]
result:[  ]
step 2 : token g ; stack:[ ) ]
result:[ g ]
step 3 : token / ; stack:[ ) / ]
result:[ g ]
step 4 : token f ; stack:[ ) / ]
result:[ f g ]
step 5 : token - ; stack:[ ) - ]
result:[ / f g ]
step 6 : token e ; stack:[ ) - ]
result:[ e / f g ]
step 7 : token + ; stack:[ ) - + ]
result:[ e / f g ]
step 8 : token d ; stack:[ ) - + ]
result:[ d e / f g ]
step 9 : token ( ; stack:[  ]
result:[ - + d e / f g ]
step 10 : token * ; stack:[ * ]
result:[ - + d e / f g ]
step 11 : token c ; stack:[ * ]
result:[ c - + d e / f g ]
step 12 : token / ; stack:[ * / ]
result:[ c - + d e / f g ]
step 13 : token ) ; stack:[ * / ) ]
result:[ c - + d e / f g ]
step 14 : token b ; stack:[ * / ) ]
result:[ b c - + d e / f g ]
step 15 : token - ; stack:[ * / ) - ]
result:[ b c - + d e / f g ]
step 16 : token a ; stack:[ * / ) - ]
result:[ a b c - + d e / f g ]
step 17 : token ( ; stack:[ * / ]
result:[ - a b c - + d e / f g ]

# the final while
step 18 : token ( ; stack:[  ]
result:[ * / - a b c - + d e / f g ]