Support non-alphanumeric character names with "@"

Fixes #22

2 files changed, 19 insertions, 3 deletions

diff --git a/screenplain/parsers/fountain.py b/screenplain/parsers/fountain.py
index 9b0c6c7..3290dd2 100644
--- a/screenplain/parsers/fountain.py
+++ b/screenplain/parsers/fountain.py
@@ -128,7 +128,11 @@ class InputParagraph(object):
             return False
 
         character = self.lines[0]
-        if not character.isupper() or character.endswith(TWOSPACE):
+        if character.endswith(TWOSPACE):
+            return False
+        if character.startswith('@') and len(character) >= 2:
+            character = character[1:]
+        elif not character.isupper():
             return False
 
         if paragraphs and isinstance(paragraphs[-1], Dialog):
diff --git a/tests/fountain_test.py b/tests/fountain_test.py
index 9a5d308..95a4a81 100644
--- a/tests/fountain_test.py
+++ b/tests/fountain_test.py
@@ -148,8 +148,10 @@ class DialogTests(TestCase):
         self.assertEquals(Dialog, type(dialog))
         self.assertEquals(plain('SOME GUY'), dialog.character)
 
-    # Fountain would not be able to support a character named "23". We
-    # might need a syntax to force a character element.
+
+    # Spec http://fountain.io/syntax#section-character:
+    # Character names must include at least one alphabetical character.
+    # "R2D2" works, but "23" does not.
     def test_nonalpha_character(self):
         paras = parse([
             '23',
@@ -157,6 +159,16 @@ class DialogTests(TestCase):
         ])
         self.assertEquals([Action], [type(p) for p in paras])
 
+    # Spec http://fountain.io/syntax#section-character:
+    # You can force a Character element by preceding it with the "at" symbol @.
+    def test_at_sign_forces_dialog(self):
+        paras = parse([
+            '@McCLANE',
+            'Yippee ki-yay',
+        ])
+        self.assertEquals([Dialog], [type(p) for p in paras])
+        self.assertEquals(plain('McCLANE'), paras[0].character)
+
     def test_twospaced_line_is_not_character(self):
         paras = parse([
             'SCANNING THE AISLES...  ',