How do you split a list by space in python?

Question

How do you split a list by space? With the code below, it reads a file with 4 lines of 7 numbers separated by spaces. When it takes the file and then splits it, it splits it by number so if i print item[0], 5 will print instead of 50. here is the code

def main():
    filename = input("Enter the name of the file: ")
    infile = open(filename, "r")
    for i in range(4):
        data = infile.readline()
        print(data)
        item = data.split()
        print(data[0])

main()

the file looks like this

50 60 15 100 60 15 40 /n 100 145 20 150 145 20 45 /n 50 245 25 120 245 25 50 /n 100 360 30 180 360 30 55 /n

read the documentation of `.split()` [here](https://docs.python.org/3/library/stdtypes.html#str.split) — usernamenotfound, Dec 05 '17 at 23:51
http://idownvotedbecau.se/noresearch/ You have the search terms, but didn't follow the posting guidelines. [on topic](http://stackoverflow.com/help/on-topic) and [how to ask](http://stackoverflow.com/help/how-to-ask) apply here. — Prune, Dec 05 '17 at 23:57
Durr. `item[0]` is the first entry in the result list of the split. `data[0]`is the first character of the string you are splitting. — DisappointedByUnaccountableMod, Dec 07 '17 at 11:25

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Dec 05 '17 at 23:49

1

Split takes as argument the character you want to split your string with.

I invite you to read the documentation of methods you are using. :)

EDIT : By the way, readline returns a string, not a **list **. However, split does return a list.

answered Dec 05 '17 at 23:49

IMCoins

3,149
1
10
25

1

Well, you should do that first, from `split()` docs: "If sep is not specified or is None, a different splitting algorithm is applied: runs of consecutive whitespace are regarded as a single separator" – Michael Butscher Dec 05 '17 at 23:51
Oh lol, thanks mate. I guess I learned a lesson today. Never take anything for granted. : – IMCoins Dec 05 '17 at 23:55
Well, yes, but your answer doesn't answer the question/problem the OP has. – DisappointedByUnaccountableMod Dec 07 '17 at 11:29

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 07 '17 at 11:21

1

import nltk

tokens = nltk.word_tokenize(TextInTheFile)

Try this once you have opened that file.

TextInTheFile is a variable

answered Dec 07 '17 at 11:21

Gandham Varun

11
4

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Dec 07 '17 at 11:27

There's not a lot wrong with what you are doing, except that you are printing the wrong thing.

Instead of

print(data[0])

use

print(item[0])

data[0] is the first character of the string you read from file. You split this string into a variable called item so that's what you should print.

How do you split a list by space in python?

3 Answers3