create a function that receives a string with the name an array and then prints each element [python]

Question

I'm trying to create a function that will do something like this:

list1 = ['a', 'b', 'c']
list2 = ['1', '2', '3']
option = input('your option: ')
printElements(option)

So if the user writes 'list1', the function should print a b c

It's fundamentally unclear to me what you are asking. Please provide a [MCVE]. — timgeb, Nov 18 '18 at 20:49
Do *not* use dynamic variables, rather, if you are trying to map strings to `list` objects, use a `dict`. — juanpa.arrivillaga, Nov 18 '18 at 20:54

Matthieu Brucher · Answer 1 · 2018-11-18T20:59:20.417

0

You can use ast.literal_eval to evaluate your variable and get the list you want.

printElements(ast.literal_eval(option))

A better way to do it would be to store your lists in a dictionary and then use option as a key:

d = {"list1": list1, "list2": list2}
printElements(d[option])

edited Nov 18 '18 at 20:59

answered Nov 18 '18 at 20:49

Matthieu Brucher

while this is "correct", it is fundamentally bad advice – juanpa.arrivillaga Nov 18 '18 at 20:56
@juanpa.arrivillaga Added another way. – Matthieu Brucher Nov 18 '18 at 20:59

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 18 '18 at 20:54

0

I think this is what you want:

list = input("Your option : ")
def printWords(list):
    for value in list:
        print(value)

answered Nov 18 '18 at 20:54

Jonah Johnson

2 Answers2