[Tutor] getting keyboard input to dictionary (newbie ques)

[Andy W]

Hi

>
>   I am writing a simple phone number database type program. I am using
> dictionaries to handle variations in the way the names can be entered ie:
> jones:555-5555, Jones:555 5555, etc.
>    I can get it to return names or quit in response to keyboard input from
a
> menu, but cannot figure out how to add entries to the dictionary from
there.
> Help!
>
>      Def add_name():
>      print "enter name"
>      n=raw_input()
>      print "enter number"
>      m=raw_input()
>      d1[n]=m
>
> while 1:
>      print "some greeting"
>      print "type name to search"
>      print "type 'add' to add names or 'quit' to exit"
>      x=raw_input()
>      if x=='quit':
>           break
>      d1={'a name':'1111', 'another name':'2222', 'A. Name':'1111'}

        ^^^^^^^^
Here you are initialising the dictionary each time you pass through the
loop, therefore destroying that record you just input.
To get around this, just put d1=... above the while loop, and it'll
initialise it only once.

>      if x in d1.keys():
>           print d1[x], x
>      if x=='add':
>           add_name()
>
>
>     It will let me retrieve and quit, and when I enter 'add' it will print
> as if it is working but the entries are not added to the dict.
>    I have tried converting the raw-input() value to a string using the
> str.() then using that identity in the d1[n]=m but still won't update.
>    I'm missing something obvious... help.
>
>
>
>
>
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