Adding while loop to script causes errors on input

Question

I'm writing some code to play Hangman (Python 3.5.2). I wan't my code to run forever, e.g with while 1 < 2:, but I start getting syntax errors on statements that work fine without the while. Here is my code:

with open('dictionary.txt') as f:
  words = f.read().splitlines()
alphabet = 'abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz'
words2 = ''
alphabetCount = []
guesses = []
input = input('Input: ')
for x in range(0, len(words)):
  valid = True
  if len(input) == len(words[x]):
    for y in range(-1, len(input)-1):
      if input[y] != words[x][y] and input[y] != '_':
        valid = False
    if valid:
      words2 = words2 + (words[x])
for x in range(0, 26):
  alphabetCount.append(0)
for x in range(0, len(words2)):
  alphabetCount[alphabet.index(words2[x])] = alphabetCount[alphabet.index(words2[x])] + 1
for z in range(0, 26):
  if max(alphabetCount) != 0 and (alphabet[alphabetCount.index(max(alphabetCount))]) not in input:
    guesses.append(alphabet[alphabetCount.index(max(alphabetCount))])
  alphabetCount[alphabetCount.index(max(alphabetCount))] = 0
print (guesses)

Essentially, I want to loop it like this:

while 1 < 2:
  with open('dictionary.txt') as f:
    words = f.read().splitlines()
  alphabet = 'abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz'
  words2 = ''
  alphabetCount = []
  guesses = []
  input = input('Input: ')
  for x in range(0, len(words)):
    valid = True
    if len(input) == len(words[x]):
      for y in range(-1, len(input)-1):
        if input[y] != words[x][y] and input[y] != '_':
          valid = False
      if valid:
        words2 = words2 + (words[x])
  for x in range(0, 26):
    alphabetCount.append(0)
  for x in range(0, len(words2)):
    alphabetCount[alphabet.index(words2[x])] = alphabetCount[alphabet.index(words2[x])] + 1
  for z in range(0, 26):
    if max(alphabetCount) != 0 and (alphabet[alphabetCount.index(max(alphabetCount))]) not in input:
      guesses.append(alphabet[alphabetCount.index(max(alphabetCount))])
    alphabetCount[alphabetCount.index(max(alphabetCount))] = 0
  print (guesses)

Can't reproduce. No syntax errors.

Aran-Fey
– Aran-Fey

2016-07-17 18:07:16 +00:00
Commented Jul 17, 2016 at 18:07 — Aran-Fey
– Aran-Fey, Commented Jul 17, 2016 at 18:07
Have you verified you didn't mix tabs and spaces?

Stephan W.
– Stephan W.

2016-07-17 18:09:42 +00:00
Commented Jul 17, 2016 at 18:09 — Stephan W.
– Stephan W., Commented Jul 17, 2016 at 18:09

Dimitris Fasarakis Hilliard · Accepted Answer · 2016-07-17 18:49:26Z

1

The problem occurs because you mask the built-in function input() with the assignment:

input = input('Input: ')

For one iteration, this will work just fine because you're not calling input() again. Doing it more than once though will use a value of input that is masked, in your case with a value of type str; calling a str value will result in a TypeError.

Change the name to something different, like:

my_input = input('Input: ')

for the error to leave, make sure you change it throughout your code.

Remember to never mix user defined names with built-in function names because you'll get weird behavior.

edited Jul 17, 2016 at 18:49

answered Jul 17, 2016 at 18:10

Dimitris Fasarakis Hilliard

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