CODEWITHSUNDEEP
python
Milo C.
Milo C.

Reputation: 13

Split method error in python

I am learning python right now, and as an exercise, I am trying to create a program that encodes or decodes a string according to a caesar shift cipher where the shift of the cipher can be input by a user. However, when I run it, i get the error: 

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "exercises.py", line 52, in <module>
    print e(input)
  File "exercises.py", line 10, in e
    slist = s.split()
AttributeError: 'builtin_function_or_method' object has no attribute 'split'.

Can Anyone help me with this? Here is the code:

import time
import string

print "Welcome to the Caesar Shift Cipher Encoder/Decoder"
time.sleep(2)
ed = raw_input("Do you want to encode or decode (e/d)? \n")
alphabet = ('a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e', 'f', 'g', 'h', 'i', 'j', 'k', 'l', 'm',      'n', 'o', 'p', 'q', 'r', 's', 't', 'u', 'v', 'w', 'x', 'y', 'z')

def e(s):
    slist = s.split()

    key = {'a':'', 'b':'', 'c':'', 'd':'', 'e':'', 'f':'', 'g':'', 'h':'', 
    'i':'', 'j':'', 'k':'', 'l':'', 'm':'', 'n':'', 'o':'', 'p':'', 
    'q':'', 'r':'', 's':'', 't':'', 'u':'', 'v':'', 'w':'', 'x':'',
    'y':'', 'z':''}

    input1 = raw_input("Type what you want to encode \n")
    shift = int(raw_input("What is the shift of the cipher \n"))
    for x in key:
        if (alphabet.index(x) + shift) > 25:
            key[x] = alphabet[((alphabet.index(x)) + shift) - 26]
        else:
            key[x] = alphabet[((alphabet.index(x)) + shift)]

    for letter in slist:
        letter = key[letter]
    result = " ".join(slist)    
    return result

def d(s):
    slist = s.split()

    key = {'a':'', 'b':'', 'c':'', 'd':'', 'e':'', 'f':'', 'g':'', 'h':'', 
    'i':'', 'j':'', 'k':'', 'l':'', 'm':'', 'n':'', 'o':'', 'p':'', 
    'q':'', 'r':'', 's':'', 't':'', 'u':'', 'v':'', 'w':'', 'x':'',
    'y':'', 'z':''}

    input1 = raw_input("Type what you want to decode \n")
    shift = int(raw_input("What is the shift of the cipher \n"))
    for x in key:
        if (alphabet.index(x) - shift) > 25:
            key[x] = alphabet[((alphabet.index(x)) - shift) - 26]
        else:
            key[x] = alphabet[((alphabet.index(x)) - shift)]

    for letter in slist:
        letter = key[letter]
    result = " ".join(slist)    
    return result

if ed == "e":
    print e(input)
elif ed == "d":
    print d(input)
else:
    print "That is not an option. Please try again."
    ed = raw_input("Do you want to encode or decode (e/d)? \n")

Upvotes: 1

Views: 1521

Answers (3)

NendoTaka
NendoTaka

Reputation: 1224

The reason that you are getting an error is because you are passing input to your function. input is a built-in function in python. Since you did not re-define input the actual function is being passed to your functions e and d. You can't split a built-in function. You need too pass the functions a string.

It looks like you don't even need to pass anything to your functions though. Try moving the split to after your input1 line and splitting input1 instead of s. This would make more sense then what you are currently trying to do.

Another thing to look at is in your function d. alphabet.index(x) - shift will never be greater than 25 but it could be less than 0. You probably will need to change this.

Upvotes: 1

bastelflp
bastelflp

Reputation: 10086

You call your functions e or d with input, which is a built-in (and no string). Ask for a string before that and hand that string over to your functions.

Upvotes: 1

jprockbelly
jprockbelly

Reputation: 1607

You need a string to apply .split

Cast the input to a string like such:

if ed == "e":
    print e(str(input))
elif ed == "d":
    print d(str(input))

Upvotes: -1

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