Python input statement

Question

I have created a battleship like game, and have it all completed except for one detail.

I have the following input statement: x, y = input("Enter two numbers here: ").split() with the 2 numbers being entered corresponding to the players chosen coordinates. I also need to be able to handle the entry of 'q' or 'h' for the quit or help options. However, since i am taking two variables from this statement when only a q or h is entered i get the error that the statement needs 2 elements to unpack, which makes sense. Any pointers on how to get around this?

  import random, math

class oceanTreasure:

    def __init__(self):
        self.board = self.board()
        self.found = 0
        self.left = 3
        self.sonarsLeft = 20
        self.chests= []
        self.chest()
    def board(self):
        board = []
        for x in range(16): # the main list is a list of 60 lists
            board.append([])
            for y in range(61): # each list in the main list has 15 single-character strings.
                board[x].append('~')
        return board

    def chest(self):
        chest1 = [random.randint(0,60), random.randint(0,15)]
        chest2 = [random.randint(0,60), random.randint(0,15)]
        chest3 = [random.randint(0,60), random.randint(0,15)]
        self.chests = [chest1, chest2, chest3]
    def getChestsLeft(self):
        return self.found
    def getChests(self):
        return self.chests
    def getTreasuresLeft(self):
        return self.left
    def getSonarsLeft(self):
        return self.sonarsLeft
    def dropSonar(self,x,y):
        ySonar = ['a','b','c','d','e','f','g']

        whichAxis, axis = self.checkDistance(x,y)
        if whichAxis == True:
            sonar = axis
        if whichAxis == 'xaxis':
            sonar = axis
        elif whichAxis == 'yaxis':
            sonar = ySonar[axis-1]
        elif whichAxis == None:
            sonar = axis
        self.board[int(y)][int(x)] = sonar
        self.sonarsLeft -=1
        return axis
    def checkDistance(self,x,y):
        closest = self.chests[0]
        distance = 100
        for chest in self.chests:
            temp = math.sqrt(math.pow((chest[0]-int(x)),2) + math.pow((chest[1]-int(y)),2))
            if temp < distance:
                closest = chest
                distance = temp
        xaxis =math.fabs((closest[0] - int(x)))
        yaxis = math.fabs((closest[1]-int(y)))
        if yaxis == 0 and xaxis == 0:
            self.chests.remove(closest)
            self.found +=1
            self.left -=1
            return True, 'X'
        elif xaxis <= 9 and yaxis <=5 :

            if yaxis == 0    :
                return 'xaxis',int(math.fabs(xaxis))
            if xaxis == 0    :
                return 'yaxis',int(math.fabs(yaxis))            
            if min(xaxis//2,yaxis) ==(xaxis//2) :
                return 'xaxis', int(math.fabs(xaxis))
            elif min(xaxis//2,yaxis) == (yaxis) or xaxis == 0 :
                return 'yaxis', int(math.fabs(yaxis))

        else: return None,0
    def drawBoard(self):
        firstLine = '    '
        for i in range(1,7):
            firstLine += (' '*9) + str(i)
        print(firstLine)
        secondLine = '   '
        secondLine += ('0123456789' *6)
        print(secondLine)
        print()

        i = 0

        for i in range(0,16):
            boardRow = ''
            for x in  range(0,61):
                boardRow += str(self.board[i][x])

            if i < 10:
                print(str(i) +'  ' + str(boardRow) + str(i))
            if i >= 10:
                print(str(i) +' ' + str(boardRow) + str(i))
        print()
        print(secondLine)
        print(firstLine)
        device = 'devices'
        if self.sonarsLeft ==1:
            device = 'device'
        print('You have %s sonar %s availabe. You have found %s treasures and have %s left' %(self.sonarsLeft, device, self.found, self.left))



ocean = oceanTreasure()
ocean.drawBoard()
gameOver = False
instructionsList = ['This is a treasure hunting game.' , 'You begin the game with 20 sonar devices available (each device has a range of 9 units in the x axis and 5 in the y axis).','When you place a device, if an "O" is displayed that means there are no chests in range.', 'If a number from 1-9 is displayed, the closest chest is within n units away on the X axis.', 'If a letter from a-e is displayed, the closest chest is n units away on the Y axis (a =1, b =2 and so on...).', 'The game ends when you run out of sonar devices, all the treasure is found or you enter "q" to quit.', 'Thanks for playing and happy hunting!']
while ocean.getTreasuresLeft() != 0 and ocean.getSonarsLeft() >0 and gameOver == False:
    response = False
    coordinate = False
    while response == False:
        inputString = input("Enter two numbers seperated by a space (X Y): ")
        if inputString == 'q':
            gameOver = True
            response = True
        elif inputString == 'h':
            for instruction in instructionsList:
                print(instruction)
            response = True

        else:
            try:
                x,y = inputString.split()
                assert int(x) <=60 and int(y) <=15
                response = True
                coordinate = True

            except AssertionError: 
                print('Please enter a valid move')
    if gameOver == True:
        break
    #whichAxis, axis =ocean.checkDistance(x,y)
    #print(axis)
    if coordinate == True:
        axis = ocean.dropSonar(x,y)
        ocean.drawBoard()
        if axis == 'X':
            print('Congratulations, you have found a treasure!')


if ocean.getTreasuresLeft() == 0:
    print('Congratulations, you found all the treasure')
elif ocean.getSonarsLeft() == 0:
    print('Sorry, you ran out of sonar devices, the remaining chests were: %s ' % str(ocean.getChests()))

Answer 1

You can just separate the input:

# get the input
ipt = input("Enter two numbers here: ")
# check if your option is entered
if ipt == 'q' or ipt == 'h':
    # do something
else:
    x,y = ipt.split()

Answer 2

may be this, for example:

a = input("text")
b = a.split()
if len(b) == 1:
  if b[0] == 'q':
     return
  elif b[0] == 'h':
     print 'it is help ... '
elif len(b) == 2:
   # process for two inputted numbers

Answer 3

How about separating the tests to be a little clearer:

input_string = input("Enter two numbers here: ")
if input_string == 'q':
    do_quit()
elif input_string == 'h':
    do_help()
else:
    x,y = input_string.split()

That way you can test for your special cases, and process the x and y if they are not found.