[yo yo yo]

Hi, so I'm making something in Python which creates XML files. I'm about half way through a codeacademy course on Python so I don't have much experience with it.

Here's my issue, my code works when I set it up like this:

Code

offender = doc.createElement('offender')
offenderName = doc.createElement('offenderName')
offenderDoB = doc.createElement('offenderDoB')
offenderSex = doc.createElement('offenderSex')
offenderAddress = doc.createElement('offenderAddress')

But I thought this was pretty ugly and I would have to use these variables elsewhere so I created a list to make things nicer:

Code

offenderDetails = ['offender', 'offenderName', 'offenderDoB', 'offenderSex', 'offenderAddress']

for details in offenderDetails:
    details = doc.createElement(details)

But this doesn't have the same affect as above, I get the error:

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "C:\Python34\Scripts\program 1.py", line 126, in <module>
offender.appendChild(offenderName)
NameError: name 'offenderName' is not defined

I'm fairly certain this is how for loops work in Python, although I am used to C/C++/Java.

[lockhead]

I haven't done any work with python in a while, but this looks correct to me. Can you release the whole code? I think maybe the loop worked and the error occurred later.

[yo yo yo]

I haven't done any work with python in a while, but this looks correct to me. Can you release the whole code? I think maybe the loop worked and the error occurred later.

Here ya go:
-snip-

I can't figure out what the error could be, I've tried moving the location of the for loop/list. I've also tried this kind of for loop:

Code

for i in range(0, len(x)):
      print x[i]

Same error.

[bytecoder]

1. Use raw_input instead of input. ( Otherwise you get an error )

input() actually evaluates the input as Python code. I suggest to never use it. raw_input() returns the verbatim string entered by the user.

2. Code Error in line 142

Code

#offenderName.appendChild(setOffenderName) # Wrong
offender.appendChild(setOffenderName) # Right

3. Your while is lacking of code

Wrong:

Code

offenderDetails = ['offender', 'offenderName', 'offenderDoB', 'offenderSex', 'offenderAddress']

for details in offenderDetails:
    details = doc.createElement(details)

Right:

Code

for item in offenderDetails:
    print "Create:", item
    details = doc.createElement(item)
    offender.appendChild(details)

Otherwise it's quite good.

Your code:

pastebin.com/HnEdVJNN

[lockhead]

I'm sorry I can't find anything wrong with the code (especially the part that's not working). I don't know any of the xml related content but the while-loop looks correct. Maybe try creating and appending the element in the while loop like this:

Code

for x in offenderDetails:
    x = doc.createElement(x)
    offender.appendChild(x)

[yo yo yo]

1.
2.
3.

1. I'm using Python 3, I don't think raw_input is available anymore:

Code

NameError: name 'raw_input' is not defined

2. What I have works, the XML file looks correct without making this change.

3. I'm getting errors with this, I'm pretty sure because I'm using Python 3 the syntax is different. It doesn't like this bit:

Code

print "Create:", item

When I remove it I still get the same error:

Code

NameError: name 'offenderName' is not defined

And thanks :)

I'm sorry I can't find anything wrong with the code (especially the part that's not working). I don't know any of the xml related content but the while-loop looks correct. Maybe try creating and appending the element in the while loop like this:

Code

for x in offenderDetails:
    x = doc.createElement(x)
    offender.appendChild(x)

Same error with this too. Confusing :/

[bytecoder]

Ah Python 3 - Sorry, I must have overread it. There should work input() correct.

Can you give me the exact error output?

[yo yo yo]

Ah Python 3 - Sorry, I must have overread it. There should work input() correct.

Can you give me the exact error output?

Enter the offender's name: df
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "C:\Python34\Scripts\program 1.py", line 132, in <module>
offenderName.appendChild(setOffenderName)
NameError: name 'offenderName' is not defined
>>>

Code

offenderDetails = ['offenderName', 'offenderDoB', 'offenderSex', 'offenderAddress']

for x in offenderDetails:
    x = doc.createElement(x)
    offender.appendChild(x)

"""
offenderName = doc.createElement('offenderName')
offenderDoB = doc.createElement('offenderDoB')
offenderSex = doc.createElement('offenderSex')
offenderAddress = doc.createElement('offenderAddress')

offender.appendChild(offenderName)
offender.appendChild(offenderDoB)
offender.appendChild(offenderSex)
offender.appendChild(offenderAddress)

"""

The code which is edited out works, but code at the top gives the error when it should do the same thing.

offenderName should be defined in the for loop.

[Misingnoglic]

1. Try not modifying x in the loop (e.g. use another variable)
2. Try creating all the elements first, then doing the append child's

[MoonCakeRuler]

You're mutating your loop variable in the loop body. Just change that variable. So it can be like:

Code

for detail in offenderDetails:
    x = doc.createElement(detail)
    offender.appendChild(x)

That should be it I guess. I'm assuming you don't need the 'x' other than for appending. If you do, just add them to a list/dictionary outside the loop.

Hope that helps.

[yo yo yo]

1. Try not modifying x in the loop (e.g. use another variable)
2. Try creating all the elements first, then doing the append child's

You're mutating your loop variable in the loop body. Just change that variable. So it can be like:

Code

for detail in offenderDetails:
    x = doc.createElement(detail)
    offender.appendChild(x)

That should be it I guess. I'm assuming you don't need the 'x' other than for appending. If you do, just add them to a list/dictionary outside the loop.

Hope that helps.

I get the same error. I even get the error when I append each one on it's own line and only try and create the elements using a loop.

Here's an updated version I'm working on: -snip-

If anyone can get it to run please post how 😉

Lines 114-120 (commented out) don't work but the bit below does.

[dberube]

In this piece of code, the variable "offenderName" was never declared.

Code

offenderDetails = ['offenderName', 'offenderDoB', 'offenderSex', 'offenderAddress']

for detail in offenderDetails:
    detail = doc.createElement(detail)
    offender.appendChild(detail)

inputOffenderName = input("Enter the offender's name: ")
setOffenderName = doc.createTextNode(inputOffenderName)
offenderName.appendChild(setOffenderName)

Because you use variables that use those names later in your code, you have to dynamically define the variable.
That is NOT RECOMMENDED, but if you really (really) want to know:
Spoiler (Click to View)
Last warning! (Click to View)

Code

offenderDetails = ['offenderName', 'offenderDoB', 'offenderSex', 'offenderAddress']

for detail in offenderDetails:
    element = doc.createElement(detail)
    locals()[detail] = element      #This create a new variable in the local scope
    offender.appendChild(element)

If statements:

Code

if inputoffenderSex == "m" or "f" or "Male" or "Female" or "M" or "F" or "male" or "female":
#this gets interpreted to
if inputoffenderSex == "m" or True or True or True or True or True or True or True

Works like that:

Code

# Pythonic way
if inputoffenderSex in ("m","f","Male","Female","M","F","male","female"):
#OR
if inputoffenderSex == "m" or inputoffenderSex == "M" #etc...

[MoonCakeRuler]

Like dberube said, just changing the if statement would make your script work. And wow man, that locals() kung-fu. xD

Another similar (rather ugly) way would be to store your created elements in a dictionary or similar collection structure. I tried it out because I have nothing better to do but you'll then need to change occurrences of offenderName/Address/Dob/Sex, etc. to something like nameofdict['offenderName']. Given your current script, it isn't exactly as economical as one would expect; could be different if you need to add a larger number of offender details. Might not be the most Pythonic way to do this but here's the script: http://pastebin.com/scgAVZPJ

Everything dberube said about the if statements still apply. Good luck with the course. ;D

[MR.FREE]

I havent read thru all the post to see if anyone fixed this yet, but try this.

Code

offenderDetails = ['offender', 'offenderName', 'offenderDoB', 'offenderSex', 'offenderAddress']

for details in offenderDetails:
    print ("{0} = doc.createElement('{1}')".format(details,details))

which should output

Code

>>>
offender = doc.createElement('offender')
offenderName = doc.createElement('offenderName')
offenderDoB = doc.createElement('offenderDoB')
offenderSex = doc.createElement('offenderSex')
offenderAddress = doc.createElement('offenderAddress')
>>>

[Zer0 Cool]

for future reference, you should split up your code into functions and or modules if it's going to be really long, each function should do 1 thing. makes it much more readable