hashlib_new.py

#!/usr/bin/env python

# this is from The Python
# Standard Library by example
# ISBN13: 9780321767349

import hashlib
import sys

try:
    hash_name = sys.argv[1]
except IndexError:
    print 'Specify the hash name as the first argument.'
else:
    try:
        data = sys.argv[2]
    except IndexError:
        from hashlib_data import lorem as data

    h = hashlib.new(hash_name)
    h.update(data)
    print h.hexdigest()