Converting an alphanumeric string into a numeric one in python

Question

I've got an alphanumeric number as a string "4525ABT2", which I'm trying to "translate" to be only a numeric one. I tried many ways, smart as really stupid and long, and looked all over (I found the solution for Java here but it doesn't work in python. Neither does the solution that change all characters to numbers). My last attempt looks like this

for i in alpha:    
        alpha1 = alpha.replace("A" or "B" or "C", "2")
        alpha2 = alpha1.replace("D" or "E" or "F", "3")
        alpha3 = alpha2.replace("G" or "H" or "I", "4")
        alpha4 = alpha3.replace("J" or "K" or "L", "5")
        alpha5 = alpha4.replace("M" or "N" or "O", "6")
        alpha6 = alpha5.replace("P" or "Q" or "R" or "S", "7")
        alpha7 = alpha6.replace("T" or "U" or "V", "8")
        alpha8 = alpha7.replace("W" or "X" or "Y" or "Z", "9")

phone = str(alpha8)
return phone

Thanks in advance!!

Providing a link to the Java solution that you mention would probably help others a lot to understand what exactly you are trying to do. — anothernode
– anothernode, Commented Aug 23, 2017 at 13:30
You're right. I should have thought about it. I cannot find the post longer but next time- will do. — Ninsa
– Ninsa, Commented Aug 23, 2017 at 20:26

user3850 · Accepted Answer · 2017-08-23 13:27:12Z

5

Use the proper tool:

>>> s = "4525ABT2"
>>> table = str.maketrans('ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ',
                          '22233344455566677778889999')
>>> s.translate(table)
'45252282'

answered Aug 23, 2017 at 13:27

user3850

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Comments

Zinki · Accepted Answer · 2017-08-23 13:33:27Z

-1

It would be easier if your replacements were the same size, but this should work:

replist = ["","","ABC", "DEF", "GHI", "JKL", "MNO", "PQRS", "TUV", "WXYZ"]

for i,v in enumerate(replist):
    for l in v:
        alpha = alpha.replace(l,str(i))

Input: "AHK62ZT"

Output: "2456298"

edited Aug 23, 2017 at 13:33

answered Aug 23, 2017 at 13:26

Zinki

4464 silver badges10 bronze badges

2 Comments

user3850 Over a year ago

this is still a bad solution because replacing characters in a string (in a loop, no less) is expensive.

Zinki Over a year ago

@hop oh yeah your solution is much better, I just wanted to provide a version that used the same basic principles as OPs original attempt.

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