[Tutor] Change a text string from a list and change it into an integer number.(WinXP/py2.6.2/Beginner)

[Katt]

Hello all,

I was wondering if it was possible to split a string that is seperated by 
the "_" character and changing the text into an integer?

My current code is as follows:

date = "cyear_11_05"
date2 = date.split("_")
check_year = date2[0]
if check_year == "cyear":
    year = localtime().tm_year
else:
    year = int(date2[0])
print year

So my goal here is for python to check at the value of "date".  If the value 
of "date[0]" is cyear then I want it to get the current year from the 
computer.  If the value of date[0] is a number then I want to just change it 
into an integer.

Currently the above code does not work unless I change the "if" statement to 
say:
 "if check_year == "c".

Did I do the slice incorrectly?  I thought that when you take the first 
location (0) of a list then it would take the "cyear" in stead of just the 
"c".

All input is appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Katt