Python - convert string to an array

Question

How would I convert the following string to an array with python (this string could have an indefinite number of items)?

'["Foo","Bar","Baz","Woo"]'

This is definitely a string representation as well. type() gave:

<class 'str'>

Update:

Got it.

interestedin = request.POST.get('interestedIn')[1:-1].split(',')

interested = []

for element in interestedin:
    interested.append(element[1:-1])

Where request.POST.get('interestedIn') gave the '["Foo","Bar","Baz","Woo"]' string list "thing".

Possible duplicate of [How to convert a string to a list in Python?](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/5387208/how-to-convert-a-string-to-a-list-in-python) — code11, Apr 25 '18 at 13:30
That looks like it's a duplicate question – I am sure I've seen at least several variants. Anyway, what did you try & why did it not work? — Jongware, Apr 25 '18 at 13:31
Im guessing he wants "".join(str_list), and has a very weird way of writing a question. — Rohi, Apr 25 '18 at 13:32
Making a variable by Copy/paste of your 'following string' definitely does not return a class of str when you run type(). At least on my machine. — dfundako, Apr 25 '18 at 13:35
Wow - -10 XD yes, it's definitely a string. I promise. type(my_variable) gives ``. I missed off the bracing '. — GCien, Apr 25 '18 at 13:38
Got it - just updated my question. Apologies for asking such a weird question! :) — GCien, Apr 25 '18 at 14:04
Does this answer your question? [Convert string representation of list to list](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1894269/convert-string-representation-of-list-to-list) — Georgy, Dec 13 '19 at 14:10

score 19 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 25 '19 at 22:36

19

You can do this

import ast

list = '["Foo","Bar","Baz","Woo"]'
list = ast.literal_eval(list)
print list

answered Apr 25 '19 at 22:36

Lex Bryan

655
8
16

2

@GCien This should be marked as the correct answer. – drakorg Aug 05 '20 at 02:47

txicos · Accepted Answer · 2018-04-25T14:37:52.487

5

Dealing with string '["Foo","Bar","Baz","Woo"]'

str = '["Foo","Bar","Baz","Woo"]'
str1 = str.replace(']','').replace('[','')
l = str1.replace('"','').split(",")
print l # ['Foo', 'Bar', 'Baz', 'Woo'] A list

If you mean using python array module, then you could do like this:

import array as ar
x=ar.array('c')  #char array
for i in ['Foo', 'Bar', 'Baz', 'Woo']: x.extend(ar.array('c',i))
print x  #array('c', 'FooBarBazWoo')

It will be much simpler if you consider using numpy though:

import numpy as np
y=np.array(['Foo', 'Bar', 'Baz', 'Woo'])
print y #  ['Foo' 'Bar' 'Baz' 'Woo']

edited Apr 25 '18 at 14:37

answered Apr 25 '18 at 14:16

txicos

241
3
5

First option ruins your data if any of the elements contain a [ or ] as part of its own text. Second and third options do not start from a string and have nothing to do to string to array or list conversion. – drakorg Aug 05 '20 at 02:43

Hadij · Answer 3 · 2022-03-02T18:33:03.390

5

No-package solution

You can use eval function

list = eval('["Foo","Bar","Baz","Woo"]')
print (list)

# ['Foo', 'Bar', 'Baz', 'Woo']

Alternative Solution

Based on @baptx comment, an alternative way (probably a better one) is to use ast package:

from ast import literal_eval 
list = literal_eval('["Foo","Bar","Baz","Woo"]')
print (list)

# ['Foo', 'Bar', 'Baz', 'Woo']

edited Mar 02 '22 at 18:33

answered Sep 07 '20 at 16:02

Hadij

2,380
5
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38

It looks like this can be dangerous if the data is untrusted since it can execute code, I read it is recommended to use `ast.literal_eval` instead: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/15197673/using-pythons-eval-vs-ast-literal-eval – baptx Jul 02 '21 at 14:17

score 0 · Answer 4 · edited Dec 17 '20 at 17:52

0

you can also do this

import json

json.loads('["Foo","Bar","Baz","Woo"]')

edited Dec 17 '20 at 17:52

flaxel

3,429
4
13
26

answered Dec 17 '20 at 16:13

Daniel Adu

1

Python - convert string to an array

Update:

4 Answers4

No-package solution

Alternative Solution

Linked