UnboundLocalError: local variable 'count' referenced before assignment

Question

Throwing error at "count+=1". I tried making it a global etc. and it still gave an issue. It's more of a joke than anything, but I'd like to know why it isn't working.

import math
def delT():
    #inputs
    #float inputs
    #do math
    #print results
    global count
    count=0
    def getAndValidateNext():
        #print menu
        getNext=input("select something")
        acceptNext=["things","that","work"]
        while getNext not in acceptNext:
            count+=1
            print("Not a listed option.")
            if count==5:
                print("get good.")
                return
            return(getAndVadlidateNext())
        if getNext in nextRestart:
            print()
            return(delT())
        if getNext in nextExit:
            return
    getAndVadlidateNext()
delT()

full traceback please. The function isn't called if my eyes see right... — Jean-François Fabre, Jul 18 '17 at 20:37
Possible duplicate of [Python nested functions variable scoping](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/5218895/python-nested-functions-variable-scoping) — janos, Jul 18 '17 at 20:40
So many typos in your post! Did you type it from scratch here? Wasn't copy/paste available? I.e., your function was defined as getAndValidate**Input** but you call it (I hope) as getAndVa**d**lidate**Next**! — AGN Gazer, Jul 18 '17 at 20:46
Commented out sections because of what I'm working on. getAndValidateNext is the correct function name, fixed post. Sorry about typos, I just made the account and haven't posted before so the formatting was weird at first with ctrl+k etc. so yes I was writing it out for the first half. issue fixed, though — pythonOnlyPls, Jul 18 '17 at 20:51

score 4 · Accepted Answer · answered Jul 18 '17 at 20:43

4

You need to move your global keyword down into your function.

count=0
def getAndValidateInput():
    global count
    #print menu
    #So on and so forth

Now you should be able to access your count variable. It has to do with scoping in Python. You have to declare a variable is global in each function that you want to use it in, not just where it is define.

answered Jul 18 '17 at 20:43

SH7890

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ah duh. I just added it and it works properly. had to declare it as a global in getAndValidateNext and as a global where I defined it as 0. solved, thanks! – pythonOnlyPls Jul 18 '17 at 20:47

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 18 '17 at 20:38

I ran into the same issue once, it turned out to have to do with the scope and having a function definition within another function definition. What worked was writing separate functions that would create and modify a global variable. Like this for example:

def setcount(x):
    global count
    count = x
def upcount():
    global count
    count += 1

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Jul 18 '17 at 20:43

1

global count should be inside the getAndValidateInput() function.

answered Jul 18 '17 at 20:43

AGN Gazer

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UnboundLocalError: local variable 'count' referenced before assignment

3 Answers3