Python Error: IndexError list index out of range

Question

 file = open(selection, 'r')
 dict = {}
 with open(selection, 'r') as f:
    for line in f:
        items = line.split()
        key, values = items[0], items[1:]
        dict[key] = values
 englishWord = dict.keys()
 spanishWord = dict.values()

Hello, I am working on a project where I have an file with spanish and english words. I am trying to take these words, and put them into a dictionary. The file looks like this:

library, la biblioteca
school, la escuela
restaurant, el restaurante
cinema, el cine
airport, el aeropuerto
museum, el museo
park, el parque
university, la universidad
office, la oficina
house, la casa

Every time I run the code, I get an error about the range. What am I doing wrong?

How do you think the string 'library, la biblioteca' will be split? — willeM_ Van Onsem
– willeM_ Van Onsem, Commented Nov 9, 2017 at 17:42
You should give split() an explicit argument. In this case "," seems like the correct choice. — Conor
– Conor, Commented Nov 9, 2017 at 17:50

Daniel · Accepted Answer · 2017-11-09 17:44:04Z

3

You probably have empty lines in your file, resulting in empty items-list:

dict = {}
with open(selection, 'r') as lines:
    for line in lines:
        items = line.split()
        if items:
            key, values = items[0], items[1:]
            dict[key] = values

answered Nov 9, 2017 at 17:44

Daniel

42.9k4 gold badges57 silver badges82 bronze badges

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

Comments

mrCarnivore · Accepted Answer · 2017-11-09 17:48:19Z

1

You do not need to open the file first if you need with! Also you need to specify what the character used for splitting needs to be, otherwise it splits on every whitespace and not on ',' as you want it to. This code works (assuming your file is called 'file.txt'):

dict = {}
with open('file.txt', 'r') as f:
    for line in f:
        items = line.split(',')
        print(items)
        key, values = items[0], items[1:]
        dict[key] = values
englishWord = dict.keys()
spanishWord = dict.values()

answered Nov 9, 2017 at 17:48

mrCarnivore

5,1282 gold badges14 silver badges29 bronze badges

Comments

Conor · Accepted Answer · 2017-11-09 17:53:38Z

1

Check to make sure you don't have empty lines.

dict = {}
with open(selection, 'r') as lines:
    for line in lines:
        items = line.split()
        if (len(items) > 1):
            if items:
                key, values = items[0], items[1:]
                dict[key] = values

answered Nov 9, 2017 at 17:53

Conor

4716 silver badges12 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Python Error: IndexError list index out of range

3 Answers 3

Comments

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

3 Answers 3

Comments

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related