I'm sure this is stupidly simple, but I am trying to add words to two different dictionary files I have created.

I think my problem is here:

myDict = Dictionary.Dictionary()
myDict2 = Dictionary.Dictionary()

Because when I write out the files, it writes the same thing to both files, even though I want them to be slightly different:

So, basically, is there a way to make these separate objects, rather than pointing to the same one? If you need more of the code, I can provide that as well.

I don't understand what you're asking. Can you supply more information?

Here is what the dictionary class looks like:

#!/usr/local/bin/python

import sys, string

class Dictionary (object):
	def __init__(self, dictionary=[]):	

		self.dictionary=dictionary
		
	def read_dict_file(self, filename):
		try:
			dictfile = open (filename)
		except:
			print "Failed to open dictionary file: " + filename
			sys.exit(1)
			
		for line in dictfile.readlines():
			self.dictionary.append (string.strip(line))
		
		dictfile.close()
		
		
		
	def add_word (self, word):
		stripped_word = string.strip(word)
		if stripped_word in self.dictionary:
			print stripped_word + " is already in the dictionary"
		else:
			self.dictionary.append (stripped_word)
			
		
	def remove_word (self, word):
		try:
			self.dictionary.remove (string.strip(word))
		except:
			print "Warning: Could not remove "+string.strip(word)+" from dictionary"
		
	def write_dict_file(self, filename):
		try:
			dictfile = open (filename, 'w')
		except:
			print "Failed to open dictionary file for writing: " + filename
			sys.exit(1)
		
		for word in self.dictionary:
			dictfile.write (word+"\n")
		
		dictfile.close()
	
	def is_a_word (self, word):
		stripped_word = string.strip(word)
		if stripped_word in self.dictionary:
			return True
		else:
			return False

So, in the main program, I make two dictionaries. Then, I take user input, and depending on the word I add it to either one or the other dictionary, or both.

However, when I do the write at the end of the main program, it writes the same dictionary to both files. Here is the basics of the main program:

# add.py

import Dictionary, string

myDict = Dictionary.Dictionary()
myDict2 = Dictionary.Dictionary()

dict3to8 = "3to8.txt"
dict2to10 = "2to10.txt"

myDict.read_dict_file(dict3to8)
myDict2.read_dict_file(dict2to10)


s = ""
while s != "end":
	s = raw_input('>')
	if s == "end":
		break
	if s == "write":
		myDict.write_dict_file(dict3to8)
		myDict2.write_dict_file(dict2to10)
	else:
		if len(string.strip(s)) > 2 and len(string.strip(s)) < 9:
			myDict.add_word(s)
		if len(string.strip(s)) > 1 and len(string.strip(s)) < 11:
			myDict2.add_word(s)


myDict2.write_dict_file(dict2to10)
myDict.write_dict_file(dict3to8)

So, when I look at the files at the end, they both contain every word I added from length 2 to 10. Even though myDict should only be adding 3 to 8 length words.

Ah. Well, now I see your problem, and I'll look into figuring this out.

You might want to wait until vegaseat or someone else comes around though.

Looks like your problem is in line 7, you are using a list as default argument.

The addresses of a function's default arguments get set at compile time. When a mutable object like a list is used as a default argument it will have this fixed address, adding more elements to the list will change the list (hence mutable object), but not the address, so the result is a list that accumulates its contents.

Let me illustrate this ...

def myfunc(count=[]):
    count.append(7)
    return count

print myfunc()  # [7]
print myfunc()  # [7, 7]
print myfunc()  # [7, 7, 7]

This prevents this sometimes unwanted accumulation ...

def myfunc(count=None):
    if count == None:
        count = []
    count.append(7)
    return count

print myfunc()  # [7]
print myfunc()  # [7]

It makes sense to me now.

Thanks a lot.

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