Print function output and strings on same line?

Question

I am writing a program that is supposed to print a word in a box made of stars like this:

************
*          *
* danielle *
*          *
************

However, I am getting the following output:

************
*           
None *
* danielle *
*           
None *
************

I know I keep getting an output of "None" because I can't print a string and a function output on the same line. How could I do this?

My code is as follows:

    def star_str(length):
    stars = '*'*length
    print stars

def spaces_str(length):
    spaces = " "*length
    print spaces

def frame_word(input_word):
    length = len(input_word)
    top_bottom_stars = length + 4
    spaces_middle = length + 2

    star_str(top_bottom_stars)
    print '*', spaces_str(spaces_middle), '*'
    print '*', input_word, '*'
    print '*', spaces_str(spaces_middle), '*'

    star_str(top_bottom_stars)

print "Please enter a word:",
input_word = raw_input()
frame_word(input_word)

kindall · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-11 04:18:37Z

4

Your problem is caused by the fact that you're calling a function that prints something within a print statement. My suggestion would be to have spaces_str() and star_str() return the string rather than printing it.

Better yet, eliminate those functions entirely. " " * 40 is perfectly readable and idiomatic; wrapping it in a function is just more characters to type without an increase in readability.

answered Sep 11, 2012 at 4:18

kindall

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1 Comment

asmeurer Over a year ago

+1. Functions that print rather than return a string are almost always a bad idea.

Vivek S · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-11 04:18:49Z

0

give a return statement at the end of the method instead of print , now your print below will produce proper result

def spaces_str(length):
    spaces = " "*length
    return spaces
print '*', spaces_str(spaces_middle), '*'

answered Sep 11, 2012 at 4:18

Vivek S

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Comments

Jon Clements · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-11 08:50:22Z

-1

I'd go with @kindall and return the string rather than just print it, but would also point out that it's possible to suppress an explicit newline for a print statement by using a trailing comma:

def test_print():
    print 'one',
    print 'two',
    print 'three'

test_print()
# one two three

Then you could but shouldn't write:

print '*', # suppresses newline
spaces_str() # this prints using something as above
print '*' # asterisk and newline

answered Sep 11, 2012 at 8:50

Jon Clements

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