CODEWITHSUNDEEP
python
colemilne54
colemilne54

Reputation: 3

How to pop entire item from array?

I want to randomly assign the three items from list into randlist but I also don't want the items to be assigned more than once

I tried to use a while loop that would pop the items randomly into randlist but it seems to be taking characters from the array item instead of the entire string.

from random import randint

list = ["car", "zonk1", "zonk2"]
randlist = []
x = 0

while x < 3:
    randlist += list.pop(randint(0, len(list) - 1))
    x += 1

door1 = randlist[0]
door2 = randlist[1]
door3 = randlist[2]

print (door1, door2, door3)

Result:

z o n

Upvotes: 0

Views: 109

Answers (2)

WiseDev
WiseDev

Reputation: 535

If you are willing to use numpy. Then the following code is slightly faster (and arguably neater) than for-looping:

import numpy as np

_list = ["car", "zonk1", "zonk2"]
idx = np.random.permutation(len(_list))
mylist = list(np.array(_list)[idx])

Example output:

>>> mylist
['zonk1', 'car', 'zonk2']

Upvotes: 0

juanpa.arrivillaga
juanpa.arrivillaga

Reputation: 95993

This line:

randlist += list.pop(randint(0, len(list) - 1))

extends the str object, character by character, into the list. 

>>> mylist = []
>>> mylist += 'foo'
>>> mylist
['f', 'o', 'o']

You want to append what you are popping.

>>> mylist = []
>>> mylist.append('foo')
>>> mylist
['foo']

As an aside, you should use other functions in the random module instead of re-inventing the wheel. You want a random sample from your list:

>>> import random
>>> mylist = ["car", "zonk1", "zonk2"]
>>> random.sample(mylist, 3)
['zonk1', 'car', 'zonk2']
>>> random.sample(mylist, 3)
['zonk2', 'car', 'zonk1']
>>> random.sample(mylist, 3)
['car', 'zonk2', 'zonk1']

Upvotes: 3

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