Stuck in a while loop within a function (python)

Question

I'm trying to find the gender of a user. This is my code for that function:

def getGender():
"""figure out the gender of the person."""
gender = input("Are you male or female? (m/f)").lower()
while gender != "m" or "f":
    gender = input("Are you male or female? (m/f)").lower()

return gender

When I run it I keep getting stuck in the loop, even when I input a valid response. This is the main code:

def main():
    welcome()
    getGender()
    if gender == "m":
        maleCalc()
        maleFinding()
    else:
        femaleCalc()
        femFinding()
    disclaimer()

#run the program
main()
input("\n\nPress the enter key to exit.")

I've been trying to figure out if the problem is with my function's while loop or if it's an overall logic issue.

Thanks for any help.

If any of answers below solved your problem, please tick this question as solved. — Dawid Laszuk
– Dawid Laszuk, Commented Feb 10, 2017 at 16:20

qaphla · Accepted Answer · 2013-08-15 23:17:01Z

1

One issue is in the section:

gender != "m" or "f"

Both "m" and "f" are treated as true in Python, and so, as != binds more tightly than or, this is the same as

(gender != "m") or "f"

which is always true.

Try instead:

while gender != "m" or gender != "f":

or

while gender not in ("m", "f"):

answered Aug 15, 2013 at 23:17

qaphla

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Comments

Dawid Laszuk · Accepted Answer · 2015-10-22 10:49:33Z

1

The problem is with checking for character. You are currently checking two statements gender != 'm' and "f" and obviously the second one is always true because it's not empty. Try maybe instead something like this:

while (gender != "m") and (gender != "f"):

or equally:

while gender not in ["m", "f"]:

Thus, all in all, I would suggest modifying whole function to:

def getGender():
    """figure out the gender of the person."""
    gender = ""
    while gender not in ["m", "f"]:
        gender = input("Are you male or female? (m/f)").lower()

    return gender

edited Oct 22, 2015 at 10:49

answered Aug 15, 2013 at 23:17

Dawid Laszuk

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