Question

I’m trying to figure out a ‘simple’ dictionary/database with Python, which will retrieve a name from a list of ten, with the requested information.
i.e. input is ‘John phone’; output is ‘John’s phone number is 0401’.

Apart from being completely stuck on this retrieval of specific information, python has suddenly been giving me a syntax error on the name = raw_input line.

The following is the file i’ve saved as ‘friends’:

#!/usr/bin/python

friends = {'John' : {'phone' : '0401',
        'birthday' : '31 July',
        'address' : 'UK',
        'interests' : ['a', 'b', 'c']},
    'Harry' : {'phone' : '0402',
        'birthday' : '2 August',
        'address' : 'Hungary',
        'interests' : ['d', 'e', 'f']}}
name = raw_input ('Who are you looking for? ')
if name in friends: 
print friends[name]"'s phone number is: "['phone']
    # this line is something I haven't tested
    # and so I have a big hunch it's not going to work
else: 
    print 'no data'

and this is the error it’s giving me:

$ ./friends
File "./friends", line 11
name = raw_input ('Who are you looking for? ')
     ^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax

Please note, this was not happening a few hours ago when I was working on the very same file, using terminal on my imac. I haven’t altered that line, and I’m absolutely stumped as to why it’s playing up!

• also won’t work on my pc’s cygwin, or another borrowed mac.
• and yes, i’ve entered chmod +x friends into terminal.

It’s probably the simplest, silliest thing, and I’ve probably completely overlooked something or accidentally bumped a key (it’s 1am.. this is due on Monday…), but any help will be much appreciated!

Answer 1

The raw_input() line works fine here.

You have a syntax error on the “unsure” line. It could read like this:

print name + "'s phone number is: " + friends[name]['phone']

You could also use format strings:

print "%s's phone number is: %s" % (name, friends[name]['phone'])

Full if block:

if name in friends: 
    print "%s's phone number is: %s" % (name, friends[name]['phone'])
else: 
    print 'no data'

Otherwise, your code worked for me after copying/pasting directly from your post.