Iterating through python string array gives unexpected output

Question

I was debugging some python code and as any begginer, I'm using print statements. I narrowed down the problem to:

paths = ("../somepath") #is this not how you declare an array/list?
for path in paths:
    print path

I was expecting the whole string to be printed out, but only . is. Since I planned on expanding it anyway to cover more paths, it appears that

paths = ("../somepath", "../someotherpath")

fixes the problem and correctly prints out both strings.

I'm assuming the initial version treats the string as an array of characters (or maybe that's just the C++ in me talking) and just prints out characters.?...??

I'd still like to know why this happens.

Do any other languages declare single element arrays/tuples with brackets like that and also handle the use of brackets for their many other purposes? — jamylak
– jamylak, Commented Dec 11, 2014 at 10:17
@jamylak: Note that sometimes you don't even need the parentheses to make a tuple, eg a=3,4,5. — PM 2Ring
– PM 2Ring, Commented Dec 11, 2014 at 10:50

thefourtheye · Accepted Answer · 2014-12-11 10:09:11Z

5

("../somepath")

is nothing but a string covered in parenthesis. So, it is the same as "../somepath". Since Python's for loop can iterate through any iterable and a string happens to be an iterable, it prints one character at a time.

To create a tuple with one element, use comma at the end

("../somepath",)

If you want to create a list, you need to use square brackets, like this

["../somepath"]

answered Dec 11, 2014 at 10:09

thefourtheye

241k53 gold badges466 silver badges505 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

1 Comment

Padraic Cunningham Over a year ago

the OP wants to create an array/list

vks · Accepted Answer · 2014-12-11 10:11:38Z

0

paths = ["../somepath","abc"]

This way you can create list.Now your code will work .

paths = ("../somepath", "../someotherpath") this worked as it formed a tuple.Which again is a type of non mutable list.

answered Dec 11, 2014 at 10:11

vks

68.1k11 gold badges96 silver badges132 bronze badges

Comments

Gabriel · Accepted Answer · 2014-12-13 11:37:25Z

0

Tested it and the output is one character per line

So all is printed one character per character

To get what you want you need

# your code goes here
paths = ['../somepath'] #is this not how you declare an array/list?
for path in paths:
    print path

edited Dec 13, 2014 at 11:37

answered Dec 11, 2014 at 10:12

Gabriel

3,6041 gold badge29 silver badges49 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Iterating through python string array gives unexpected output

3 Answers 3

1 Comment

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

3 Answers 3

1 Comment

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related