Python - Get a function to use argument as string and int

Question

The problem

I want get_scores to take tests and use it as an int for x > 0 but be able to print tests. I've tried fiddling around for awhile and I can't get what I want.

What I've tried

My problem is that I want the get_scores method to print "What percentage are tests weighted". Tests is assigned to an int so it can't print anything unless I do this which prints an int which I don't want it to do:

int(input("What percentage are" + str(x) + "weighted?"

I've tried a couple different things such as:

get_initial_input function (   like this: testsp = get_scores("tests")    )

This makes it so x > 0 can't be processed because x is a string. I also tried:

int(x) > 0

... to see if it was as simple as changing it back to an int (didn't work).

The code

def main():
    tests = get_initial_input("tests")
    assignments = get_initial_input("assignments")
    exercises = get_initial_input("exercises")
    labs = get_initial_input("labs")
    finals = get_initial_input("finals")
    testsp = get_scores(tests)
    assignmentsp = get_scores(assignments)
    exercisesp = get_scores(exercises)
    labsp = get_scores(labs)
    finalsp = get_scores(finals)
def get_initial_input(x):
    val = int(input("How many "+ x + " were there?    "))
    return val

def get_scores(x):
    if x > 0:
            xp = int(input("What percentage are "+ str(x) + " weighted?"))
            return xp

main()

Is there anyway to get what I want?

Thanks for your help in advance.

maybe make a dict where the key is your type of tests an the values are ints representing weightings, might be easier — R Nar
– R Nar, Commented Nov 16, 2015 at 0:36

jme · Accepted Answer · 2015-11-16 00:36:37Z

1

You could have get_scores take two arguments: one being a string giving the type of the assignment, and therefore what to print, and the other being the number of such assignments:

def get_scores(x, kind):
    if x > 0:
        xp = int(input("What percentage are "+ kind + " weighted?"))
        return xp

Which you'd call like:

testsp = get_scores(tests, 'tests)

But it might make more sense to write the function without the if, and do the checking before you call it.

answered Nov 16, 2015 at 0:36

jme

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Comments

dkhamrick · Accepted Answer · 2015-11-16 00:42:48Z

0

I may be a little confused, but it sounds like you are trying to use the variable tests to represent both an integer value and a string at the same time. You could turn tests into a string, and then use string indexing to get what you want:

tests = ["tests"]

Now you can get the second value into the list by using:

tests.append(get_initial_input(tests))

Now when you want to print the string, just use print tests[0] and when you want to print the number of tests, use print tests[1].

answered Nov 16, 2015 at 0:42

dkhamrick

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Python - Get a function to use argument as string and int

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