Error message displaying when it shouldnt (School work)

Question

Hi this is school work so please don't just give me the right answer but tell me what I have done wrong so I can go and correct it please. So my code works fine but there is one problem. When I type "Coin", the error message is displayed after it displays the coin flip. Here is my code:

def program():
    error_message = "Answer not recognised!\nMake sure it is spelt right and starts with a capital letter."
    Choice = input("Pick either 'Card' or 'Coin' ")
    if Choice == "Coin":
        import random

        r = random.randint(1,2)
        if r == 1:
            print ("Heads!")
        else:
            print ("Tails!")

    if Choice == "Card":
        import random
        card_number = random.randint(1,13)

        if card_number == 1:
            card_number = "Ace"
        elif card_number == 11:
            card_number = "Jack"
        elif card_number == 12:
            card_number = "Queen"
        elif card_number == 13:

            card_number = "King"

    if Choice == "Card":
        import random
        card_suit = random.randint(1,4)

        if card_suit == 1:
            card_suit = "Hearts"
        elif card_suit == 2:
            card_suit = "Clubs"
        elif card_suit == 3:
            card_suit = "Diamonds"
        else:
            card_suit = "Spades"

    if Choice == "Card":
        print(card_number ,"of" , card_suit)

    #else print error message
    else:
        print(error_message)


while flag:
    program()
    flag = input('Would you like to run the program again? [yes/no] ') == 'yes'

else:
    print ("The program will now terminate.")

I have tried many different ways of trying to get around this but I cant figure it out. Remember this is school work so I would like help but not to be told the answer. Thanks

There are four `if` statements and one `else` statement in the body of `program()`. Look at which `if` statement the `else` corresponds to. — alexwlchan, Oct 21 '14 at 10:22
Look at the condition of the if/else statement in which the `error_message` is printed. — mhawke, Oct 21 '14 at 10:23
Oh I think I understand, it is under the Card choice so if the choice doesn't equal card it will put the error message — Mitchnana1, Oct 21 '14 at 10:25
That's right, if you enter anything that isn't "Card" (e.g. "Coin") it will always print the error message. — mhawke, Oct 21 '14 at 10:28
Well done for asking the right question - i.e. hints where you have gone wrong, rather than someone correcting your code. — Tony Suffolk 66, Oct 21 '14 at 13:40

David Heffernan · Accepted Answer · 2014-10-21T10:53:04.963

At the outermost level of program(), you have four separate if statements. Each one will execute, one after the other. The else is attached to the final if.

if Choice == "Card":
    print(card_number ,"of" , card_suit)

#else print error message
else:
    print(error_message)

When Choice is Coin then Choice == "Card" evaluates false, and so the else branch is chosen. You mean to have a single if statement like this:

def program():
    error_message = ...
    Choice = ...
    if Choice == "Coin":
        # do all the coin related work
    elif Choice == "Card":
        # do all the card related work
    else:
        # handle the error

As an aside, it is stylistically preferred to import modules once only as the first code in a module.

Thank you so much, you have helped me lots. – Mitchnana1 Oct 21 '14 at 11:03 — Mitchnana1, Oct 21 '14 at 11:03

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 21 '14 at 11:01

Thank you everyone my code works now, I am now just trying to shorten it. Thank you Here is the completed code:

import random
flag = True
def program():
    error_message = "Answer not recognised!\nMake sure it is spelt right and starts with a capital letter."
    Choice = input("Pick either 'Card' or 'Coin' : ")

    if Choice == "Coin":
        r = random.randint(1,2)
        if r == 1:
            print ("Heads!")
        else:
            print ("Tails!")

    elif Choice == "Card":
        card_number = random.randint(1,13)

        if card_number == 1:
            card_number = "Ace"
        elif card_number == 11:
            card_number = "Jack"
        elif card_number == 12:
            card_number = "Queen"
        elif card_number == 13:
            card_number = "King"

        card_suit = random.randint(1,4)

        if card_suit == 1:
            card_suit = "Hearts"
        elif card_suit == 2:
            card_suit = "Clubs"
        elif card_suit == 3:
            card_suit = "Diamonds"
        else:
            card_suit = "Spades"

        print(card_number ,"of" , card_suit)

    else:
        print(error_message)


while flag:
    program()
    flag = input('Would you like to run the program again? [yes/no] ') == 'yes'

else:
    print ("The program will now terminate.")

I know its messy but it works so now I will focus on shortening it and tidying it up. Thank you

Error message displaying when it shouldnt (School work)

2 Answers2