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Python Introducing Lists Using Lists Review Split and Join

Nantheesh P
Nantheesh P
1,260 Points
Posted by Nantheesh P
Nantheesh P
1,260 Points

Splitting string into a list

text = "Ada&Jean&Grace&Margaret"

What if I wanted it to split after the & sign?

So that it returns: 'Ada&', 'Jean&', 'Grace&', 'Margaret'

Thank you,

3 Answers

Alexander Davison
Alexander Davison
65,469 Points
Alexander Davison
Alexander Davison
65,469 Points

Unfortunately, there's no Python built-in method for that. But you can write your own function! :wink:

Grigorij Schleifer
Grigorij Schleifer
10,365 Points
Grigorij Schleifer
Grigorij Schleifer
10,365 Points

Hi Nantheesh, here my suggestion, I am a python newbie and I guess there must be a more functional way to do this.

text = "Ada&Jean&Grace&Margaret"


def transform(text):
    word = []  # keeps the temporary result until i is &
    ls = []  # when & is found the word will be appendet to ls
    for i in text:
        word.append(i)
        if i == "&":
            ls.append(word)
            word = []  # after append, word is emptied to be replaced with the next candidate
    if word:  # append the last word that has no &
        ls.append(word)
    return print(["".join(item) for item in ls])


transform(text)

Let us know what you think

Samuel Burke
Samuel Burke
1,467 Points
Samuel Burke
Samuel Burke
1,467 Points

Hello Nantheesh, If you want to split on the '&' symbol, and you want it removed, you can use the split method:

text = text.split('&')

This will make the text variable hold the following:

['Ada', 'Jean', 'Grace', 'Margaret']

I know this might not be what you are looking for, but you may find it helpful.

Alexander Davison
Alexander Davison
65,469 Points

Unfortunately, it seems that there's an extra "&" symbol after "Margaret", but there's no "&" after "Margaret" in the string itself! :pensive:

Samuel Burke
Samuel Burke
1,467 Points
Samuel Burke
Samuel Burke
1,467 Points

Thanks, Alexander. I have removed that portion of the code.