Python NameError - Name not defined after User Input

Question

All,

I have the following code:

val1 = str(input("Enter string element 1/3: "))
val2 = int(input("Enter integer element 2/3: "))
val3 = float(input("Enter float element 3/3: "))

lst = [val1, val2, val3]
tpl = (val1, val2, val3)
dict = {"First element: ":val1, "Second element: ":val2, "Third element: ":val3}

print("/n")
print("Here is your list: ", lst)
print("Here is your tuple: ", tpl)
print("Here is your dictionary ", dict)

print("/n")
val4 = input("Add a new str list element: ")
lst.append(val4)
print("Here is your new list ", lst)

But i seem to get this return:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:/Python27/Test2", line 1, in <module>
    val1 = str(input("Enter string element 1/3: "))
  File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
NameError: name 'test' is not defined

However, int and float both work - so why doesn't string? It's saying that 'test' isn't defined, but i thought it because defined after the user inputted the word?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

"/n" is not a newline; "\n" is.

chepner
– chepner

2014-08-11 16:19:13 +00:00
Commented Aug 11, 2014 at 16:19 — chepner
– chepner, Commented Aug 11, 2014 at 16:19

chepner · Accepted Answer · 2014-08-11 16:17:13Z

1

You want to use raw_input instead of input in Python 2.

>>> float(input(": "))
: test
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
  File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
NameError: name 'test' is not defined

vs

>>> float(raw_input(": "))
: test
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
ValueError: invalid literal for float(): test

input evaluates its input as an expression, so if you enter test at its prompt, it tries to evaluate that as a name.

raw_input always returns the string you type as a str object, so you still need to take care that what you type is a value input for whatever you intend to pass it to.

answered Aug 11, 2014 at 16:17

chepner

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