name (?) is not defined

Question

I'm beginner in Python programming using PyCharm trying to practice functions but it returns below error:

name 'rflag' is not defined but I think its defined! here is the code:

def searcher(word: str, text: str, num: int = 1):

   global startindex
   global size
   global rflag

   if num == 1 and text.count(word) == 1:
       startindex = text.find(word);
       size = len(word);
       rflag = "word start from " + str(startindex + 1) + " and end in " + 
       str(size + startindex)
   elif num > 1 and text.count(word) <= num:
       startindex = 0
       for i in range(num):
           startindex = text.find(word, startindex)
           size = startindex + len(word)
        rflag = "word start from " + str(startindex + 1) + " and end in " + 
        str(size + startindex)

    return rflag


result = searcher("shahab", "shahabshahabshahab", 2)
print(result)

full error message:

C:\Users\Shahab\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python37-32\python.exe C:/Users/Shahab/Desktop/searcher.py

Traceback (most recent call last):

File "C:/Users/Shahab/Desktop/searcher.py", line 21, in result = searcher("shahab", "shahabshahabshahab", 2) File "C:/Users/Shahab/Desktop/searcher.py", line 18, in searcher return rflag NameError: name 'rflag' is not defined

Process finished with exit code 1

indentation: code and indentation image

We can't fix your code if we don't know what it's supposed to do... — Aran-Fey, Jun 20 '19 at 06:07
@Aran-Fey pass a word, text and a number to function; it will search word param in text and return first, second, third... position word appeared in the text depend on which number user passed to num param — Shahab Ouraie, Jun 20 '19 at 06:12
please [do not post code as an image](https://meta.stackoverflow.com/questions/285551/why-not-upload-images-of-code-on-so-when-asking-a-question/285557#285557); correct the source code in your post. — hiro protagonist, Jun 20 '19 at 06:13
And if the word doesn't occur that many times? Then it returns -1? — Aran-Fey, Jun 20 '19 at 06:14
@Aran-Fey yeah; it should return: **not found** , **-1** or like these but still not added to code; now trying to fix stage one..! — Shahab Ouraie, Jun 20 '19 at 06:17
And does your code handle that case? Could that be related to the error? — Aran-Fey, Jun 20 '19 at 06:20
@Aran-Fey indentation fixed in text; i must add it if there is no word in text but didnt till now! if you look at code you see there is 3 word available in text so it shouldnt return error — Shahab Ouraie, Jun 20 '19 at 06:24
@Aran-Fey thanks you for all your help and it was my mistake that code didn't reach at any of if or elif statement as you mentioned above! but still don;'t know why it can't find any "shahab" in "shahabshahabshahab" or even in "shahab shahab shahab" ???? — Shahab Ouraie, Jun 20 '19 at 06:55

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 20 '19 at 06:38

0

This will solve the error.

You just had to initialize rflag before if conditions, as that is what you're returning

def searcher(word, text, num=1):
  rflag = ""
  if num == 1 and text.count(word) == 1:
    startindex = text.find(word);
    size = len(word);
    rflag = "word start from {} and end in {}".format(startindex+1, size+startindex)
  elif num > 1 and text.count(word) <= num:
    startindex = 0
    for i in range(num):
      startindex = text.find(word, startindex)
      size = startindex + len(word)
      rflag = "word start from {} and end in {}".format(startindex+1, size+startindex)
  return rflag

answered Jun 20 '19 at 06:38

ashish-ucsb

101
6

thanks in advance!! if I should say, its because code not reach at any if or elif statement so dont know return what! but can you help me why it can't find any "shahab" in "shahabshahabshahab" or even in "shahab shahab shahab" ???? – Shahab Ouraie Jun 20 '19 at 06:53
In this statement `searcher("shahab", "shahabshahabshahab", 2)` your `num=2`, so first if condition will be false. Similarly, second if condition will be false since `'shahabshahabshahab'.count('shahab')` returns 3 and `3 is NOT<=2`. That is why `searcher` will not return anything. If your increase `num` searcher will return something. – ashish-ucsb Jun 20 '19 at 06:59
changed `<= ` to `>= ` – Shahab Ouraie Jun 20 '19 at 07:09

name (?) is not defined

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