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Python Python Collections (2016, retired 2019) Dictionaries String Formatting with Dictionaries

Alex Diaz
Alex Diaz
4,930 Points
Posted by Alex Diaz
Alex Diaz
4,930 Points

Stuck on this challenge, please help!

I've never really been good at stuff like this, please help! I'm very confused as to what i'm even going wrong, thank you.

string_factory.py 
# Example:
# values = [{"name": "Michelangelo", "food": "PIZZA"}, {"name": "Garfield", "food": "lasagna"}]
# string_factory(values)
# ["Hi, I'm Michelangelo and I love to eat PIZZA!", "Hi, I'm Garfield and I love to eat lasagna!"]

template = "Hi, I'm {name} and I love to eat {food}!"


def string_factory(dicts, **kwargs):
    return template.format(name, food)


string_factory(**dicts)

1 Answer

Ryan S
Ryan S
27,276 Points
Ryan S
Ryan S
27,276 Points

Hi Alex,

The first thing to note is that your function should only take one argument -- a list. Each item in this list will actually be a dictionary.

You will need to loop through the list of dictionaries.

In each iteration of the loop, you will need to unpack that particular dictionary into the .format() method which will be attached to the template variable. You will need to append this formatted "template" to new list that you will eventually return when the looping is complete.

So you have the right idea with the use of "**" however, that will be used in .format(), not as a function argument.

Also, you don't have to call the function at the end. The code checker will do that for you.

Hopefully this clears up the challenge instructions. If it is still unclear then I'd be happy to help you some more.

Alex Diaz
Alex Diaz
4,930 Points
Alex Diaz
Alex Diaz
4,930 Points

I'm right here currently, how would I append the results from that for loop to a list? Also where would I use the ** in the format()? 

template = "Hi, I'm {name} and I love to eat {food}!"


def string_factory(dicts):
    new_list = []
    for word in dicts:
        template.format(name, food)
Ryan S
Ryan S
27,276 Points
Ryan S
Ryan S
27,276 Points

Hey Alex,

You almost got it.

To append an item to a list, use .append() on the list.

Regarding the "**" usage, keep in mind that the variable that you have used to represent each dictionary in the list is "word". So you will need to unpack that variable inside the .format() method.

You can format the string and append it to new_list in one line.

def string_factory(dicts):
    new_list = []
    for word in dicts:
        new_list.append(template.format(**word))
    return new_list