[Tutor] Problem formatting raw_input

[bob gailer]

Peter Anderson wrote:
> Dj Gilcrease wrote:
>> The simple answer is to just use chr(int(inNum))
>>
>> though here is how I would do it
>>
>> def convert_string_to_int(strInt):
>>     try:
>>         return int(strInt)
>>     except ValueError:
>>         return 0
>>
>> def getNumbers(output):
>>     inNum = raw_input("Please enter an ASCII number\n(33 - 126,
>> [Enter] to quit): ")
>>     ascii_num = convert_string_to_int(inNum)
>>     if ascii_num >= 33 and ascii_num <=126:
>>         output.append(chr(ascii_num))
>>         getNumbers(output)

I would avoid recursion. Save that for recursive algorithms. An ordinary 
loop is easier to read/maintain and you will not run out of recursion 
depth. Also give user a meaningful error message.

    while True:
        inNum = raw_input("Please enter an ASCII number\n(33 - 126, 
[Enter] to quit): ")
        if not inNum:
            break
        ascii_num = convert_string_to_int(inNum)
        if ascii_num >= 33 and ascii_num <=126:
            output.append(chr(ascii_num))
        else:
            print "Input must be an integer in range 33..126"

>>
>> if __name__ == '__main__':
>>     print "This script converts a sequence of ASCII numbers"
>>     print "into the string of text that it represents."
>>     print
>>     output = []
>>     getNumbers(output)
>>     print output
>>
>> Dj Gilcrease
>> OpenRPG Developer
>> ~~http://www.openrpg.com
> Dj,
>
> Thanks for the suggestions; both work perfectly.  Can I ask a 
> supplementary question please?
>
> In the def convert_string... function why do you include the "except 
> ValueError: / return 0" clause?
try: must be followed by except or finally.

-- 
Bob Gailer
Chapel Hill NC 
919-636-4239

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