Why I can't convert a list of str to a list of floats?

Question

I'm starting to write a code, but it fails at the beginning.

This is my code:

import csv
reader = csv.reader(open("QstartRefseqhg19.head"), dialect='excel-tab' )

for row in reader:
    C = row[1].split(",")[1:]
    C1 = [float(i) for i in C]

    print C1 

and the error log says:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/home/geparada/workspace/SJtag/src/TagGen.py", line 8, in <module>
    C1 = [float(i) for i in C]
ValueError: empty string for float()

I've also tried

import csv
reader = csv.reader(open("QstartRefseqhg19.head"), dialect='excel-tab' )

for row in reader:
    C = row[1].split(",")[1:]       
    C1 = map(float, C)        

    print C1

My input file looks like this:

NM_032291   0,227,291,316,388,445,500,676,688,700,725,777,863,956,1031,1532,1660,1787,1847,1959,2115,2248,2451,2516,2681,   tttctctcagcatcttcttggtagcctgcctgtaggtgaagaagcaccagcagcatccatggcctgtcttttggcttaacacttatctcctttggctttgacagcggacggaatagacctcagcagcggcgtggtgaggacttagctgggacctggaatcgtatcctcctgtgttttttcagactccttggaaattaaggaatgcaattctgccaccatgatggaaggattgaaaaaacgtacaaggaaggcctttggaatacggaagaaagaaaaggacactgattctacaggttcaccagatagagatggaattcagcccagcccacacgaaccaccctacaatagcaaagcagagtgtgcgcgtgaaggaggaaaaaaagtttcgaagaaaagcaatggggcaccaaatggattttatgcggaaattgattgggaaagatataactcacctgagctggatgaagaaggctacagcatcagacccgaggaacccggctctaccaaaggaaagcacttttattcttcaagtgaatcggaagaagaagaagaatcacataagaaatttaatatcaagattaaaccattgcaatctaaagacattcttaagaatgctgcaactgtagatgaattgaaggcatcaataggcaacatcgcactttccccatcaccagtgaggaaaagtccgaggcgcagcccgggtgcaattaaaaggaacttatccagtgaagaagtggcaagacccaggcgttccacaccaactccagaacttataagcaaaaagcctccagatgacactacggcccttgctcctctctttggcccaccactagaatcagcttttgatgaacagaagacagaagttcttttagatcagcctgagatatggggttcaggccaaccaattaatccaagcatggagtcgccaaagttaacaaggccttttcccactggaacacctccaccactgcctccaaaaaatgtaccagctaccccaccccgaacaggatcccccttaacaattggaccaggaaatgaccagtcagccacagaggtcaaaattgaaaaactaccatccatcaatgacttggacagcatttttgggccagtattgtcccccaagtctgttgctgttaatgctgaagaaaagtgggtccatttttctgatacatccccggaacatgttactccggagttgactccaagggaaaaagtggtgtccccaccagctacaccagacaacccagctgactccccagctccaggccctctcggccccccaggtcccacaggccccccagggcctcctgggcctcctcgcaatgtactatcgccgctcaatttagaagaagtccagaagaaagtcgctgagcagaccttcattaaagatgattacttagaaacaatctcatctcctaaagattttgggttgggacaaagagcaactccacctcccccaccaccacccacctacaggactgtggtttcgtcccccggacctggctcgggccctggtccggggaccaccagtggtgcatcatcccctgctcgaccagccactcctttggttccttgcagaagtaccactccacctccacctcctccccggcctccatcccggccaaagctacctccaggaaaacctggagttggagatgtgtccagaccttttagccctcccattcattcttccagccctcctccaatagcacccttagcgcgggctgaaagcacttcttcaatatcgtcaaccaattccttgagcgcagccaccactcccacagttgagaatgaacagccttccctcgtttggtttgacagaggaaagttttatttgacttttgaaggttcttccaggggacccagccccctaaccatgggagctcaggacactctccctgttgcagcagcatttacagaaacagtcaatgcctatttcaaaggagcagacccaagcaaatgtatcgttaagattaccggagaaatggtgttgtcatttcctgctggcatcaccagacactttgccaacaacccgtccccagctgctctgacttttcgggtgataaatttcagcaggttagaacacgtcctgccaaacccccaacttctctgctgtgataatacacaaaatgatgccaataccaaggaattctgggtaaacatgccaaatttgatgactcacctaaagaaagtgtctgaacaaaaaccccaggctacatattataacgttgacatgctcaaatatcaggtgtctgcccagggcattcagtccacacctctgaacctggcagtgaattggcgatgtgagccttcaagcactgacctgcgcatagattacaaatataatacagatgcaatgacgactgctgtggccctcaacaatgtgcagttcctggtccccatcgacggaggagtcaccaagctccaggcagtgctcccaccagcagtctggaatgctgaacaacagagaatattgtggaagattcctgatatctctcagaagtcagaaaatggaggggtgggttctttgttggcaagatttcagttatctgaaggcccaagcaaaccttctccattggttgtgcagttcacaagtgaaggaagcaccctttctggctgtgacattgaacttgttggagcagggtatcgattttcactcatcaagaaaaggtttgctgcaggaaaatacttggcagataactaatgaaatcttatgcaaggatttggaggattcatataatggagaactgatgtatgagaaacagattttaattttggtttgatgaaaacaaaccaatatctgcacttgggatatatcaggtggaaagtcaatgactttcatctgtgatttccctcacacactaccatgatgaccagtcctacagtatttacttctaggtgtaatattgttaatggttttaaaatgtaattattgtatttgtaaattgtactctcattccagtaaggcagttagacacttgagttttagcattttaccattcctgaaatggatgtaatttaaactgtggtatgtaaatttaatagtagtattgttgaatggcacaatgcttacagaggtagattgcattttgtcaatatataaaatttaaatataatattgatagctgtcataaagggggtgccacatattaaagaaacttaagtggaaccagaagaaaaagaaacaaacttacttttcttcaatgcttagtatgttttactctagtgctaaataaaaactctatcttcaaatgtttagtgggttaaattgagaaactatttcagaaaaaaattctaaggttacagcatattcaaagaaaagcattagttaccactttttaaaaagcttttttttcaaactgcaaatttcataaaaatgcaaactgtgtaaacagggcctcttatttttataacttgtgtaaaaagggaaagcaattcatatttaaagtttaagtatattaaattataatcaagagtaaagaagatgttgaagtcttaactacttgcccctctctacagtttcgcaaatgtggggattgctgaataatcagtcagactaaaaccaaaattgtgattttaagatttcaagactttccgtagttgaactggttaagaatttttgcttagttactctgaatagatgatcttactcatccagtatgggggaatgatacctcacgtcttcctctttacccacaggaatcaaaacgctgagactgagaattttagggaaaaaaaagtccactgtttagatccagaaggagagttttaatcattgtttatatcatttgagaatgaaaaaataagcttcataaatgaaattctattcacattactgtgtaataaatttccttttggatgattaggattcattgtataaaactgtaaatctttgccattcttggagaagcaaaaggagagttatcaaaaatgtatgtcgtttcatcgttgcaaggtataataaaaactgtaattattcaatctggccctgccatatgaacatttagaaagacaaacttcttcgggagtctcagttgtaaaaccttccctcattaatatctgaaaatgttagtcttcctttaagtcatagaacttatttaaacataaaccaatttctattacaggttatgctattaaatagctgtaattattaagttattatttttataattagttgttaaatttcattttacacccactcaaatttaacaaagaatctttagcccctttaaattttagaattaaattaaatttttaaagttttacttctaaaatgagattgtgactggcaattgtttatagtgaaactttttaaattaatctttgtactcctctatcagtgcttgctaccaagagaatgtccaaaatgatttgttttaccatgggaaaattcttactattcaacaaactctcagttggccccctacagcagtctggtgttgaagtttctttgaacgaactaaatatactcattttatgtaaaggtatccaatttgattttgaaaccaaaatagaaaatgcaaaattctaaattccatgaaacatggaatttatgacaccaaaatcaatggagagtaagcagcagcaaactgagaattatccagcatatgaatataacaatgtgtttttaagtaatcaattcatttaaaaaattgaatattaatacaaagcatattaaaaacatgtaaatatta
NM_001080397    0,397,490,715,1443,1597,1774,1980,  atgatccccgcagccagcagcaccccgccgggagatgccctcttccccagcgtggccccacaggacttctggaggtcccaggtcacgggctactcggggtccgtgacacgacacctcagtcaccgggccaacaacttcaaacgacaccccaagaggaggaagtgcattcgtccctccccacccccgccccccaacaccccgtgcccgcttgagctggtggacttcggggacctgcacccccagaggtccttccgggagctgcttttcaacggctgcattctctttggcatcgagttcagctacgccatggagacggcgtacgtgaccccggtgctcctgcagatgggcctgcccgaccagctctacagcctggtgtggttcatcagccccatcctcggattcctactgcagcctctgttgggtgcttggagtgaccggtgtacctcaaggtttggaaggagacgccctttcattcttgtcctggctataggggcactgctgggcctctcgctcttgctgaatggccgggacattggcatcgccctggctgacgtgaccgggaaccacaagtggggcctgctgctgaccgtgtgcggtgtggtgctgatggactttagcgccgactcggcggacaaccccagccacgcctacatgatggacgtgtgcagccccgcagaccaggaccgaggcctgaacatccacgccctcctggcaggtctcggaggaggctttggatacgtggtcggcggaatccactgggataaaacgggcttcgggagggccctggggggacagctccgagtcatttacctcttcactgcggtcaccctgagcgtcaccaccgtcctgaccctggtcagcatccctgagaggccgctgcggccgccgagtgagaagcgggcagccatgaagagccccagcctcccgctgcccccgtccccacccgtcctgccagaggaaggccctggcgacagcctcccgtcgcacacggccaccaacttctccagccccatctcgccgcccagccccctcacgcccaagtacggcagcttcatcagcagggacagctccctgacgggcatcagcgagttcgcctcatcctttggcacggccaacatagacagcgtcctcattgactgcttcacgggcggccacgacagctacctggccatccctggcagcgtccccaggccgcccatcagcgtcagcttcccccgggcccccgacggcttctaccgccaggaccgtggacttctggagggcagagagggtgccctgacctccggctgtgacggggacattctgagggtgggctccttggacacctctaagccgaggtcatcagggattctgaagagacctcagaccttggccatcccggacgcagccggaggagggggtcccgaaaccagcaggagaaggaatgtgaccttcagtcagcaggtggccaatatcctgctcaacggcgtgaagtatgagagcgagctgacgggctccagcgagcgcgcggagcagcctctgtccgtggggcgcctctgctccaccatctgcaacatgcccaaggcgctacgcaccctctgcgtcaaccacttcctggggtggctctcattcgaggggatgttgctcttctacacagacttcatgggcgaggtggtgtttcagggggaccccaaggccccgcacacatcagaggcgtatcagaagtacaacagcggcgtgaccatgggctgctggggcatgtgtatctacgccttcagtgctgccttctactcagctatcctggagaagctggaggagttcctcagcgtccgcaccctctacttcatcgcctatctcgccttcggcctggggaccgggcttgccaccctctccaggaacctctacgtggtcctgtcgctctgcataacctacgggattttattttccaccctgtgcaccttgccttactcgctgctctgcgattactatcagagtaagaagtttgcagggtccagtgcggacggcacccggcggggcatgggcgtggacatctctctgctgagctgccagtacttcctggctcagattctggtctccctggtcctggggcccctgacctcggccgtgggcagtgccaacggggtgatgtacttctccagcctcgtgtccttcctgggctgcctgtactcctccctgtttgtcatttatgaaattcctcccagcgacgctgcagacgaggagcaccggcccctcctgctgaacgtctgacatcgcggagcctcgactccggacacgcgcctgcacctgggggtctggagcaggccgaccagtgaggaccaaagggccttgttggacagggggactggctgcctactggaatgtaaatatgtgataaaataataaatgacagcggcaaagccta
NM_001145277    0,182,283,388,470,579,757,  gaaacctggtcagagagtcgcaccgcttccgtccgtcggacagaggaacggtggaagtcgccggaagttcggtgggctccaggcgtcgcgatggaggagagcgggtacgagtcggtgctctgtgtcaagcctgacgtccacgtctaccgcatccctccgcgggctaccaaccgtggctacagggctgcggagtggcagctggaccagccatcatggagtggccggctgaggatcactgcaaagggacagatggcctacatcaagctggaggacaggacgtcaggggagctctttgctcaggccccggtggatcagtttcctggcacagctgtggagagtgtgacggattccagcaggtacttcgtgatccgcatcgaagatggaaatgggcgacgggcgtttattggaattggcttcggggaccgaggtgatgcctttgacttcaatgttgcattgcaggaccatttcaagtgggtgaaacagcagtgtgaatttgcaaaacaagcccagaacccagaccaaggccctaaactggacctgggcttcaaggagggccagaccatcaagctcaacatcgcaaacatgaagaagaaggaaggagcagctgggaatccccgagtccggcctgccagcacaggagggctgagcctgcttccccctcccccaggggggaaaacctccaccctgatccctccccctggggagcagttggctgtggggggatccctcgtccagccagcagttgctcccagttcagatcaacttccagccagacccagccaggcacaggctgggtccagttctgacctgagcacggtttttcctcatgtgacttctgggaaggcgctccctcatctgggccaaaggaaggaggacgaagccctcctcagctggcctgtgtttggggcatgaatctctcctctcctccttgtctggctctgttgacaaaccgggcatgtttggcagtaaattggcaccgtgtcacactgtttcctgggattcaagtatgcaaccagaacacaggagaagaaaagctccaggatccctgtccccatctgtcctcttgatgtgagagagactctgagacttcttccatcgcaatgacctgtattaaacacaagccccccaagcaaaagaagaggttgagtttgctgccaggattcagatcagcccttcccagggtctgcaggtgtcacatgatcacagttcagcgggaggctttccgtacccacactggctgtagccacttcagtccatctgccctccagaggaggggtttcttcctgatttttagcaggtttagaggctgcagcttgagctacaatcaggagggaaattggaaggattagcagcttttaaaaatgtttaaatattttgctttgctaatgtgctgatccgcactaactcatctttgcaaaaggaactgctccctcggcgtgccccagctggggcctctgaagggattcctcactgtgggcagctgccctgagcttcaggcagcagtgtttatctctggccagttgtctggtttccatgtattctaggccaggtaggcaacacagagccaaggcgggtgctggaagccagacggaacagtgttggggcaggaaggtggatgctgttgtcatggagctgtgggagttggcactctgtctgctggtggccctctcggctcacatgttcacagtgcagctcctggcagacttgggttttctctttggtggtttctaaagtgccttatctgcaaacaacttcttttctccttcaggaactgtgaatggctagaagaaggagctcagtaaactagaagtccagggttgcttggtttactggtttataagaaatctgaaagcacctctgacattccttttattaactcacctctcagttgaaagatttcttctttgaaaggtcaagaccgtgaactgaaaaaagtgttggcctttttgcgggaccagatttttaagataaaataaatatttttacttctgtcattgtatgtgaaaaaaaaaaaaa

I'm stack, thanks for your time!!

Answer 1

you could use try/except when converting to float and catch ValueErrors.

C = row[1].split(",")[1:] 
    for item in C:
    try:
        convert=float(item)
    except ValueError:
        print "not a number"

Answer 2

Your input line is ended with a comma, e.g.:

0,182,283,388,470,579,757,

So naturally, this will be split into:

['0', '182', '283', '388', '470', '579', '757', '']

The last element will always be an empty string, ''. You'd need to account for this. One way is simply by ignoring it:

C1 = [float(i) for i in C if i]

Or by cutting out the last element before casting:

C = row[1].split(",")[1:-1]   # the slice will exclude first and last elements