Python ascii error after for loop

Question

When I run this simple program in python I get an ascii error after "for line in file". I have tried many changes with no success. Why am I running into this issue?

Code:

flashcards = {}

def Gaelic():
    file = open ("gaelic_flashcard_mode.txt", "r")
    for line in file:
        print("clear4")
        line1 = line.rstrip().split("=")
        key = line1[0]
        trans = line1[1]
        PoS = line1[2]
        flashcards[key] = [trans, PoS]
    print(flashcards)

Text file being read in (gaelic_flashcard_mode.txt):

I=mé=(pron) (emphatic)
I=mise=(n/a)
you=tú=(pron) (subject)
you=tusa=(emphatic)
y'all=sibh=(plural)
y'all=sibhse=(emphatic)
he=sé=(pron)
he=é=(n/a)
he=seisean=(emphatic)
he=eisean=(n/a)
she=sí=(pron)
she=í=(n/a)
she=sise=(emphatic)
she=ise=(emphatic)
him=é=(pron)
him=eisean=(emphatic)
her=í=(pron)
her=ise=(emphatic)
her=a=(adj)

Aside: it looks to me like flashcards will only wind up with the trans and PoS corresponding to the last key read for each of the keys. I.e. you'll only have 'her': ['a', '(adj)'], not ['ise', '(emphatic)'] or anything. — DSM
– DSM, Commented Sep 18, 2012 at 3:37
Works fine for me. I don't get any error. What python version are you using on what platform? — ronakg
– ronakg, Commented Sep 18, 2012 at 3:39
Did you copy-paste this code from somewhere else? Another text editor, perhaps? In that case, it's possible that the : is not an ascii :. — inspectorG4dget
– inspectorG4dget, Commented Sep 18, 2012 at 3:42

Mark Tolonen · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-18 06:33:06Z

2

Are you using Python 3.X? Your print statements seem to indicate so.

Use the encoding parameter of open to specify the encoding of the source file.

Also, since you have multiple "keys" a dictionary can't hold the various versions of him, her, etc., so you probably want a list instead:

def Gaelic():
    with open('gaelic_flashcard_mode.txt','r',encoding='utf8') as f:
        return [tuple(line.rstrip().split('=')) for line in f]

print(Gaelic())

Output:

[('I', 'mé', '(pron) (emphatic)'), ('I', 'mise', '(n/a)'), ('you', 'tú', '(pron) (subject)'), ('you', 'tusa', '(emphatic)'), ("y'all", 'sibh', '(plural)'), ("y'all", 'sibhse', '(emphatic)'), ('he', 'sé', '(pron)'), ('he', 'é', '(n/a)'), ('he', 'seisean', '(emphatic)'), ('he', 'eisean', '(n/a)'), ('she', 'sí', '(pron)'), ('she', 'í', '(n/a)'), ('she', 'sise', '(emphatic)'), ('she', 'ise', '(emphatic)'), ('him', 'é', '(pron)'), ('him', 'eisean', '(emphatic)'), ('her', 'í', '(pron)'), ('her', 'ise', '(emphatic)'), ('her', 'a', '(adj)')]

answered Sep 18, 2012 at 6:33

Mark Tolonen

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4 Comments

Keither Fly Over a year ago

Your encoding method worked for me in Idle, but when I run it from terminal it says, "TypeError: 'encoding' is an invalid keyword argument for this function logout"

Mark Tolonen Over a year ago

Were you running the same version of Python? The above requires Python 3.X. Python 2.X doesn't have an encoding parameter for built-in open.

Keither Fly Over a year ago

Yes, I've been running Python 3.X for all of this.

Mark Tolonen Over a year ago

My only guess is that ‘open‘ has been accidentally redefined, since ‘encoding‘ is a valid keyword for that function. Publish an standalone script demoing the problem with traceback.

Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-18 03:36:09Z

1

Because you're using open() to open a non-ASCII text file. Use codecs.open() instead, passing it the appropriate encoding. And read this.

answered Sep 18, 2012 at 3:36

Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams

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1 Comment

nneonneo Over a year ago

It looks like Python 3...in which case, open does work (it takes an optional encoding parameter)

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