Python: Splitting a string, split by variable

Question

I'm trying to write a function that will allow me to pass in a string and a character to split the string by.

This obviously works:

def delimit(inputValue, splitChar):
   splitValue = [x.strip() for x in inputValue.split(',')]
   print(splitValue)

delimit('100,    200,300   ,400,500',',')

Printing this:

['100', '200', '300', '400', '500']

But when I try to use a variable to specify the delimiting value, it doesn't work:

def delimit(inputValue, splitChar):
    splitChar = "'" + splitChar + "'"
    splitValue = [x.strip() for x in inputValue.split(splitChar)]
    print(splitValue)

delimit('100,    200,300   ,400,500',',')

Which returns:

['100, 200,300 ,400,500']

Is it possible to use a variable inside of split()? If so, how would I accomplish this?

Karl · Accepted Answer · 2018-09-23 04:02:22Z

1

Yes you can use a variable for your splitChar.
I think you are getting confused by other languages where single quotes denote char's while double quotes denote strings. In Python there is no difference between single quoted and double quoted strings. There also is no concept of a char type, only single character strings.

To make your function work you just need to remove your line splitChar = "'" + splitChar + "'" since this is making your splitChar string be ',' which is not what you want. splitChar is already storing the correct delimeter ,.

edited Sep 23, 2018 at 4:02

answered Sep 23, 2018 at 3:56

Karl

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Comments

Plutoberth · Accepted Answer · 2018-09-23 03:54:38Z

0

Why did you add this line splitChar = "'" + splitChar + "'"? Now, the split char variable contains ',', which doesn't appear anywhere in your test string. Thus, split fails to split it as you wish.

answered Sep 23, 2018 at 3:54

Plutoberth

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Joe Patten · Accepted Answer · 2018-09-23 03:57:24Z

0

If you take out splitChar = "'" + splitChar + "'" from your function, it will work. Concatenating "'" on either side of your split character will just add ' to each side of you split character string.

answered Sep 23, 2018 at 3:57

Joe Patten

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