Question

Hi,
In ps5 problem 2 when I run update_hand manually it returns the right answer but when I run the test it returns none.
Any idea why this happens?
Here is my code for update_hand:
for i in range (0, len(word)):
used = word[i]
if hand[used] >= 0:
hand[used] = hand[used] - 1
return hand

Answer 1

1) you probably want to use codepad.org to create links to your code

2) I can't tell why without the code for 'test'

Answer 2

The code for test_update_hand, http://codepad.org/hPApKb1R

Answer 3

could you please explain to me how you are able to access the words.txt file. When I use WORDLIST_FILENAME = open ("words.txt") I get the following error code
inFile = open(WORDLIST_FILENAME, 'r', 0)
TypeError: coercing to Unicode: need string or buffer, file found

Answer 4

It should be WORDLIST_FILENAME = "words.txt"
The error you're getting is because you have open("words.txt").

Answer 5

what are you trying to accomplish here?

expected_hand2 = {'a':0, 'q':0, 'l':1, 'm':1, 'u':0, 'i':0}

if hand2 != expected_hand1 and hand2 != expected_hand2:

here's what I think is happening.

your program works.

hand2 is updated correctly.

hand2 = {'a':0, 'q':0, 'l':1, 'm':1, 'u':0, 'i':0}

then you have IF NOT EQUAL

but hand2 and expected_hand2 are equal, so your if statement doesn't run.

Answer 6

by here, I mean these 2 lines of codes

expected_hand2 = {'a':0, 'q':0, 'l':1, 'm':1, 'u':0, 'i':0}
if hand2 != expected_hand1 and hand2 != expected_hand2:

Answer 7

looks like it works to me
http://codepad.org/JJGkZKMJ

Answer 8

check to see what the values for the letters are before you start, then either keep it in the dictonary or delete it.

for letter in word:
numberofletters=hand.get(letter,0)
if numberofletters==0:
return word,'cannot be spelled from this hand'
if numberofletters==1:
del hand[letter]
if numberofletters>1:
hand[letter]=hand[letter]-1
return hand