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Python Python Collections (2016, retired 2019) Lists Disemvowel

Posted by Gasly gelin
Gasly gelin
7,923 Points

TypeError: can only join an iterable

But variable letters is a list, so therefore the join function should have worked. What seem to be the problem with my code?

disemvowel.py 
def disemvowel(word):
    vowels = ["a","e","i","o","u"]
    upper_vowels = ["A","E","I","O","U"]
    letters = list(word)

    for vowel in vowels:
        try:
            if vowel in word:
                letters = letters.remove(vowel)
        except:
            pass


    for vowel in upper_vowels:
        try:
            if vowel in word:
                letters = letters.remove(vowel)
        except:
            pass

    word = ", "
    word = word.join(letters)
    return word

1 Answer

Dave StSomeWhere
Dave StSomeWhere
19,870 Points
Dave StSomeWhere
Dave StSomeWhere
19,870 Points

:tropical_drink: Two issues immediately pop out from your code.

  1. The remove() method does not return any value. Your statement:
letters = letters.remove(vowel)  # this will set letters to none - no longer an iterable
  1. The remove() statement only removes the first occurrence found.
    for vowel in vowels: #  this will only remove the first vowel occurrence
        try:
            if vowel in word:
                letters = letters.remove(vowel)
        except:
            pass

I would suggest investigating looping letters and do a remove when you get to a vowel. I would also suggest investigating python string methods like upper() and lower() if you'd like to simplify a bit. :palm_tree:

Gasly gelin
Gasly gelin
7,923 Points

Thanks! I forgot that the remove function doesn't return a value.