Utility method for converting string to bool.

common/djangoapps/util/string_utils.py

@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+"""
+Utilities for string manipulation.
+"""
+
+import ast
+
+def str_to_bool(str):
+    """
+    Converts "true" (case-insensitive) to the boolean True.
+    Everything else will return False.
+    """
+    try:
+        return ast.literal_eval(str.title())
+    except:
+        return False

common/djangoapps/util/tests/test_string_utils.py

@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+"""
+Tests for string_utils.py
+"""
+
+from django.test import TestCase
+from util.string_utils import str_to_bool
+
+class StringUtilsTest(TestCase):
+    """
+    Tests for str_to_bool.
+    """
+    def test_str_to_bool_true(self):
+        self.assertTrue(str_to_bool('True'))
+        self.assertTrue(str_to_bool('true'))
+        self.assertTrue(str_to_bool('trUe'))
+
+    def test_str_to_bool_false(self):
+        self.assertFalse(str_to_bool('Tru'))
+        self.assertFalse(str_to_bool('False'))
+        self.assertFalse(str_to_bool('false'))
+        self.assertFalse(str_to_bool(''))
+        self.assertFalse(str_to_bool(None))
+        self.assertFalse(str_to_bool('anything'))
+        self.assertFalse(str_to_bool([]))
+        self.assertFalse(str_to_bool({}))
+        self.assertFalse(str_to_bool(1))