replacing a value in a string - Python

Question

Thank you for sharing the knowledge. I have a problem figuring out how to replace a value on a string.

for example

def replace(a, old, new):
  a.replace(old, new)
  return a 

replace('xy naxe is Exxa', 'x', 'm')

when I run this it returns the original without any replacements.

Welcome to SO! This isn't valid Python--can you clarify? `replace` doesn't mutate the string object it's called on. Thanks. — ggorlen, Oct 13 '20 at 16:01
`replace` returns new string. Strings in python are immutable. — 001, Oct 13 '20 at 16:01

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Oct 13 '20 at 16:01

0

Just do :

x = "xy naxe is Exxa".replace('x','m')

Output

"my naxe is Exxa"

answered Oct 13 '20 at 16:01

Sebastien D

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 13 '20 at 16:01

0

Python strings are immutable. You can't make in-place replacements in Python.

a.replace(old, new) will return a new string, it won't update a.

So you need to return the result of this method. Because this method will have no impact on a.

answered Oct 13 '20 at 16:01

Mushif Ali Nawaz

1

Thank you I ended up making it assigning it to a new variable then calling it. – StackSuperLow Oct 13 '20 at 16:10

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 13 '20 at 16:03

0

You can just execute .replace on them:

"xy naxe is Exxa".replace('x','m')

If x and m are variables:

"xy naxe is Exxa".replace(x,m)

It will return new string, not change original string because python strings are immutable.

answered Oct 13 '20 at 16:03

Wasif

3 Answers3