Python function printing output during variable assignment

Question

I want the following code to run the defined function, and save the output of the defined function in the specified variable "functionsOutput". And then, I want to replace the new lines in the variable with spaces.

But my code below isn't doing that. What am i doing wrong? The assignment of the function output to a variable is printing out the output. I don't want that. I want the output stored in the variable.

#!/usr/bin/python2.7
mylist = [ "hello", "you", "are", "so", "cool" ]

def printWithoutNewlines():
    for objects in mylist:
        objects = objects.replace('hello', "hi")
        print objects

functionsOutput = printWithoutNewlines()
functionsOutput.replace('\n', ' ')

Where is `return`? You should return from function to get value in `functionsOutput`. — Austin, May 28 '18 at 14:57
The assignment doesn't print. It's the print-command which does that (obviously). — offeltoffel, May 28 '18 at 14:59
The question I closed your question as a duplicate of my not seem like a solution to your problem at first blush, but it does. Your fundamental problem is that you misunderstand how variables work in Python. The question I linked to have some good answers explaining the nuances of Python variables. In addition to the question I linked to above, another good read is Ned Batchelder's [_Facts and myths about Python names and values_](https://nedbatchelder.com/text/names.html). — Christian Dean, May 28 '18 at 15:13

Sam Chats · Answer 1 · 2018-05-28T15:04:28.953

0

The following code should give the output you desire, but do you want to accomplish it in that way?

mylist = [ "hello", "you", "are", "so", "cool" ]

def printWithoutNewlines():
    for objects in mylist:
        objects = objects.replace('hello', "hi")
        print objects,
    print

printWithoutNewlines()

edited May 28 '18 at 15:04

answered May 28 '18 at 14:59

Sam Chats

2,271
1
12
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score 0 · Answer 2 · answered May 28 '18 at 15:04

Several mistakes come together here:

Your function does not return anything. The last thing it does before waving goodbye is printing.
You are assigning a new value to the iterator. That makes the statement within your loop obsolete.

If you correct these mistakes, you won't even have to delete the \n character.

#!/usr/bin/python2.7
mylist = [ "hello", "you", "are", "so", "cool" ]

def printWithoutNewlines():
    output = ""
    for objects in mylist:
        output += objects.replace('hello', "hi")
    return output

functionsOutput = printWithoutNewlines()
print functionsOutput
>>> hiyouaresocool

score -2 · Answer 3 · answered May 28 '18 at 14:59

-2

Your function is printing the result and I think what you want is to return the values. I could be something like:

objectsR = ""
for objects in mylist:
    objects = objects.replace('hello', "hi")
    objectsR = objectsR + objects
return objectsR

In fact, it is a bit more complicated because you'll need to add spaces and so on. Then, you won't need the substitution.

answered May 28 '18 at 14:59

fernand0

310
1
10

Please provide context and indent. – Sam Chats May 28 '18 at 15:00

Python function printing output during variable assignment

3 Answers3