CODEWITHSUNDEEP
pythondictionary
AndrewSwanson94
AndrewSwanson94

Reputation: 15

Search file for input Python

I am writing a program to read a text file of zip codes that should print the location of the zip code when the correct number is input. However, I am having trouble writing the error message. I have tried various methods and cannot get the error message to print, here is what I have:

try:
    myFile=open("zipcodes.txt") #Tries to open file user entered
except: 
    print "File can't be opened:", myFile #If input is invalid filename, print error
    exit()

zipcode = dict() #List to store individual sentences
line = myFile.readline() #Read each line of entered file

ask = raw_input("Enter a zip code: ")

if ask not in line:
    print "Not Found."
else:
    for line in myFile:
       words = line.split()
       if words[2] == ask:
          zipcode = words[0:2]
for value in zipcode:
    print value,

Some sample ZIP codes:

Abbeville         AL 36310
Abernant          AL 35440
Acmar             AL 35004
Adamsville        AL 35005
Addison           AL 35540
Adger             AL 35006
Akron             AL 35441
Alabaster         AL 35007

Upvotes: 0

Views: 59

Answers (3)

Arnial
Arnial

Reputation: 1441

From the beginning:

try:
    myFile=open("zipcodes.txt") 
except: 
    print "File can't be opened:", myFile # if open fail then myFile will be undefined.
    exit()

zipcode = dict() # you creating dict, but you never add something into it.

line = myFile.readline() # this will read only first line of file, not each

ask = raw_input("Enter a zip code: ") 

if ask not in line:  
    # it will print not found for any zipcode except zipcode in first line
    print "Not Found."
else:
    # because you already read 1 line of myFile
    # "for line in " will go from second line to end of file

    for line in myFile: # 1 line already readed. Continue reading from second 
       words = line.split() 
       if words[2] == ask: # If you don't have duplicate of first line this will never be True
          zipcode = words[0:2]

# So here zipcode is an empty dict. Because even if "ask is in line"
# You never find it because you don't check line 
# where the ask is (the first line of file).
for value in zipcode:
    # print never executed becouse zipcode is empty
    print value,

Upvotes: 0

Prune
Prune

Reputation: 77850

I believe that you need two phases in this program:

  1. Read zipcodes.txt and build your directory.
  2. Ask the user for a ZIP code; print the corresponding location.

Your current "positive" logic is

else:
    for line in myFile:
       words = line.split()       # Get the next line from zipcodes.txt
       if words[2] == ask:        # If this ZIP code matches the input,
          zipcode = words[0:2]    # assign the line's three fields as a list.

# Variable zipcode now contains a single line's data, all three fields.
#   You threw away the empty dictionary.

for value in zipcode:    # Print all three fields of the one matching line.
    print value,

Needed Logic (in my opinion)

# Part 1: read in the ZIP code file
# For each line of the file:
#    Split the line into location and ZIP_code
#    zipcode[ZIP_code] = location

# Part 2: match a location to the user's given ZIP code
# Input the user's ZIP code, "ask"
# print zipcode[ask]

Does this pseduo-code get you moving toward a solution?

Upvotes: 0

Patrick Falvey
Patrick Falvey

Reputation: 387

I'm not sure of the significance of enterFile. You should see the error message if you remove enterFile from the exception because it doesn't appear to be defined.

Upvotes: 1

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