Splitting multiple, spaced-list values in Python

Question

I have a very simple list where it looks like this:

['20 32 35 47 64', '15 17 25 32 53', '07 10 12 61 65', '08 14 31 58 68', '01 10 44 47 56']

What I would like to do is to split the values within each list where the values are displayed as follows:

[20,32,35,47,64,15,17,25,32,53,07,10,12,61,65,..]

myvallist = myvalues.split(" ")
print (myvallist)

For some reason, when I attempt to use the .split(), pyCharm is throwing an error.

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Users\VFARETR.CENTRAL\Desktop\pyCharm\megaTest", line 25, in <module>
    myvallist = myvalues.split(" ")
AttributeError: 'list' object has no attribute 'split'

Any help would be great!

`myvalues` is a list. Call `split()` on each *element* of the list. — BoarGules, Sep 13 '21 at 15:42
You have to call `split` on each of the items *inside* `myvallist`, not on the list itself. e.g. `[v.split(' ') for v in myvallist]`. Then you can flatten that list as described [here](https://stackoverflow.com/q/952914/3282436). — 0x5453, Sep 13 '21 at 15:42

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Sep 13 '21 at 15:43

0

You're trying to split the list, not the string. Try this:

input_list = ['20 32 35 47 64', '15 17 25 32 53', '07 10 12 61 65', '08 14 31 58 68', '01 10 44 47 56']
complete_list = []
for sub_list in input_list:
    current_items = sub_list.split()
    complete_list.extend([i for i in current_items])

answered Sep 13 '21 at 15:43

BTables

4,117
2
9
30

Unfortunately, none of the suggested solutions are working - which is a good thing in that I know I wasn't going crazy. and, to answer your question, it does not matter if it is a string or number - so long as I can query the list contents. – VJ1222 Sep 13 '21 at 15:55
1

Sounds like you have something else going on with your input data then. – BTables Sep 13 '21 at 16:05
Does the code from this answer do what you expect it to do, if you copy and paste it (including the hard-coded input)? If not, how is the result different from what you expect? If it does work, can you see something special about your input that causes a problem? – Karl Knechtel Sep 13 '21 at 16:21
complete_list = [] for sub_list in myvalues: current_items = sub_list.split() complete_list.extend([i for i in current_items]) ['20 32 35 47 64', '15 17 25 32 53', '07 10 12 61 65', '08 14 31 58 68'] – VJ1222 Sep 13 '21 at 16:29

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 13 '21 at 15:44

It says so because your list consists of strings. You have to acces the string inside the list before you split the string.

 mylist = ['20 32 35 47 64', '15 17 25 32 53', '07 10 12 61 65',
          '08 14 31 58 68', '01 10 44 47 56']

myvallist = []

for item in mylist:
    myvallist += item.split(' ')  # adds the numbers of the current string to myvallist

print(myvallist)

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Sep 13 '21 at 15:45

0

I don't know if you want the entries to be integers or strings but here's a solution with them as strings.

my_list = ['20 32 35 47 64', '15 17 25 32 53', '07 10 12 61 65', '08 14 31 58 68', '01 10 44 47 56']

my_new_list = [item for sublist in [item.split(" ") for item in my_list] for item in sublist]

The inner list comprehension splits each string by spaces and then the outer list comprehension then flattens the array produced.

answered Sep 13 '21 at 15:45

Jack Foster

13
5

It's possible to simplify this with an understanding of how nested comprehensions work: `item for string in my_list for item in string.split(' ')`. – Karl Knechtel Sep 13 '21 at 15:53
@KarlKnechtel Thanks! I was certain there was a neater way to do it and this is really slick. – Jack Foster Sep 13 '21 at 16:12
For reference: https://treyhunner.com/2015/12/python-list-comprehensions-now-in-color/ – Karl Knechtel Sep 13 '21 at 16:19

score -1 · Answer 4 · answered Sep 13 '21 at 15:45

-1

The split() function only works on strings. You have to first get the strings out of the list to split them. Something like:

for i in list:
    i.split(" ")
    newList = []
    newList.append(i)
    print(newList)

Should work fine.

answered Sep 13 '21 at 15:45

Joffi

14
1

this results in printing 5 new lists. The question was how to make it into one list. – ph140 Sep 13 '21 at 15:54
1

This won't work, for several reasons. `newList` is being re-initialized (and displayed) within the loop; the `.split` result is discarded (it does *not* modify `i` in-place); and the elements from the `.split` result would have to `.extend` the list rather than `.append`ing to it in order to avoid a nested result. – Karl Knechtel Sep 13 '21 at 15:54

Splitting multiple, spaced-list values in Python

4 Answers4