Welcome to the Treehouse Community

Want to collaborate on code errors? Have bugs you need feedback on? Looking for an extra set of eyes on your latest project? Get support with fellow developers, designers, and programmers of all backgrounds and skill levels here with the Treehouse Community! While you're at it, check out some resources Treehouse students have shared here.

Looking to learn something new?

Treehouse offers a seven day free trial for new students. Get access to thousands of hours of content and join thousands of Treehouse students and alumni in the community today.

Start your free trial

Python Python Basics (2015) Shopping List App Refactor

bradleybarron
bradleybarron
1,442 Points
Posted by bradleybarron
bradleybarron
1,442 Points

Need the answer. The instructions are vague to the point it should then be an intermediate question.

I'v tried everything I could from the accompanied text. Including just, Ideas.

shopping_list.py 
def show_help():
    # print out instructions on how to use the app
    print("What should we pick up at the store?")
    print("""
Enter 'DONE' to stop adding items.
Enter 'HELP' for this help.
Enter 'SHOW' to see your current list.
""")
def main():
    show_help()

# make a list to hold onto our items
shopping_list = []

while True:
    # ask for new items
    new_item = input("> ")

    # be able to quit the app
    if new_item == 'DONE':
        break
    elif new_item == 'HELP':
        show_help()
        continue
    elif new_item == 'SHOW':
        show_list(shopping_list)
        continue
    add_to_list(shopping_list, new_item)

show_list(shopping_list)

def show_list(shopping_list):
    # print out the list
    print("Here's your list:")

    for item in shopping_list:
        print(item)

def add_to_list(shopping_list, new_item):
    # add new items to our list
    shopping_list.append(new_item)
    print("Added {}. List now has {} items.".format(new_item, len(shopping_list)))
    return shopping_list

show_help()

# make a list to hold onto our items
shopping_list = []

while True:
    # ask for new items
    new_item = input("> ")

    # be able to quit the app
    if new_item == 'DONE':
        break
    elif new_item == 'HELP':
        show_help()
        continue
    elif new_item == 'SHOW':
        show_list(shopping_list)
        continue
    add_to_list(shopping_list, new_item)

show_list(shopping_list)

2 Answers

behar
behar
10,799 Points

Hey bradley! I didnt quite understand what you were trying to say in your reply. However, as stated in the description of the challege, to solve this challenge you simply want to put everything from line 22 and down into a function called main.

def show_help():
    # print out instructions on how to use the app
    print("What should we pick up at the store?")
    print("""
Enter 'DONE' to stop adding items.
Enter 'HELP' for this help.
Enter 'SHOW' to see your current list.
""")

def show_list(shopping_list):
    # print out the list
    print("Here's your list:")

    for item in shopping_list:
        print(item)

def add_to_list(shopping_list, new_item):
    # add new items to our list
    shopping_list.append(new_item)
    print("Added {}. List now has {} items.".format(new_item, len(shopping_list)))
    return shopping_list

def main(): # EVERYTHING FROM HERE AND DOWN SHOULD BE A FUNCTION NAMED MAIN!
    show_help()

    # make a list to hold onto our items
    shopping_list = []

    while True:
        # ask for new items
        new_item = input("> ")

        # be able to quit the app
        if new_item == 'DONE':
            break
        elif new_item == 'HELP':
            show_help()
            continue
        elif new_item == 'SHOW':
            show_list(shopping_list)
            continue
        add_to_list(shopping_list, new_item)

    show_list(shopping_list)
Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,275 Points
Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,275 Points

After adding the definition for "main", the rest of the task is putting all the following lines into the function. This means increasing the indent of each line one more stop.

Note, other that the one line to define the function, you will not need to add any new lines. In particular, do not duplicate the remaining code lines. Just move them into the function.

bradleybarron
bradleybarron
1,442 Points
bradleybarron
bradleybarron
1,442 Points

Rushed this question after having restarted.I had already done that and it didn't work:

def show_help(): # print out instructions on how to use the app print("What should we pick up at the store?") print(""" Enter 'DONE' to stop adding items. Enter 'HELP' for this help. Enter 'SHOW' to see your current list. """)

def main(): show_help()

make a list to hold onto our items

shopping_list = []

while True: # ask for new items new_item = input("> ")

# be able to quit the app
if new_item == 'DONE':
    break
elif new_item == 'HELP':
    show_help()
    continue
elif new_item == 'SHOW':
    show_list(shopping_list)
    continue
add_to_list(shopping_list, new_item)

show_list(shopping_list)

def show_list(shopping_list): # print out the list print("Here's your list:")

for item in shopping_list:
    print(item)

def add_to_list(shopping_list, new_item): # add new items to our list shopping_list.append(new_item) print("Added {}. List now has {} items.".format(new_item, len(shopping_list))) return shopping_list

This exact to what the instructions give. Maybe it's something being is completely left out (making it an intermidiate level question). Like, do i need to change the indention? I've also put the "def main" in various places (Since It's never specified.)

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,275 Points
Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,275 Points

When posting code, use the instructions for code formatting in the Markdown Cheatsheet pop-up below the "Add an Answer" area. :arrow_heading_down:   Or watch this video on code formatting.