Curious string behavior

[mark]

I've encountered an anomaly while using the string module (specifically,
string.split). Here's the snippet:

import string

address2 = ' '
line = 'function, dealer, type, firstname, lastname, vin, blank'
print 'Address2 Type (first check): ', type(address2)
function, dealer, type, firstname, lastname, vin, blank =
string.split(li ne, ',')
print 'Address2 type (second check): ', type(address2)

I've extracted this from a larger script, but the error happens roughly
the same way. Now, here's what I would expect to see:

Address2 Type (first check): <type 'str'>
Address2 type (second check): <type 'str'>

Here's what I get instead:

Address2 Type (first check): <type 'str'>
Address2 type (second check):
Traceback (most recent call last):
File
"C:\PROGRA~1\Py thon\lib\site-packages\Python win\pywin\frame work\scriptut
ils.py", line 310, in RunScript
exec codeObject in __main__.__dict __
File "C:\Program Files\Python\te st1.py", line 7, in ?
print 'Address2 type (second check): ', type(address2)
TypeError: 'str' object is not callable

What the heck is going on here? I figure I'm just missing something.

- Mark Daley
Product Manager
Diversiform, Inc.
1-800-444-3445

[OKB (not okblacke)]

Re: Curious string behavior

mark wrote:
[color=blue]
> address2 = ' '
> line = 'function, dealer, type, firstname, lastname, vin, blank'
> print 'Address2 Type (first check): ', type(address2)
> function, dealer, type, firstname, lastname, vin, blank =
> # ^ LINE ABOVE CONTAINS ERROR
> string.split(li ne, ',')
> print 'Address2 type (second check): ', type(address2)[/color]
<snip>[color=blue]
> Address2 Type (first check): <type 'str'>
> Address2 type (second check):
> Traceback (most recent call last):
> File
> "C:\PROGRA~1\Py thon\lib\site-packages\Python win\pywin\frame work\scri
> ptut ils.py", line 310, in RunScript
> exec codeObject in __main__.__dict __
> File "C:\Program Files\Python\te st1.py", line 7, in ?
> print 'Address2 type (second check): ', type(address2)
> TypeError: 'str' object is not callable[/color]

In the marked line, you assign a string to a variable called
"type". This means that you overwrote your reference to the type
function that you are trying to use in type(address2). When you "call"
type(address2) you are now trying to call the string which you have
assigned to the name "type". Use a different name for your variable (a
name that the library doesn't use) and you will be fine.

--
--OKB (not okblacke)
"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go, instead, where there is
no path, and leave a trail."
--author unknown

[Diez B. Roggisch]

Re: Curious string behavior

> address2 = ' '[color=blue]
> line = 'function, dealer, type, firstname, lastname, vin, blank'
> print 'Address2 Type (first check): ', type(address2)
> function, dealer, type, firstname, lastname, vin, blank =[/color]
^^^^^
Here you rebind the name type (which is initially bound to <type 'type'>,
that can be called with an argument to get its type) to the string ' '.
Hence the second

type(address2)

doesn't work.

You can do this on all symbols/names in python, which can cause confusing
errors.

Diez