Welcome to the Treehouse Community

Want to collaborate on code errors? Have bugs you need feedback on? Looking for an extra set of eyes on your latest project? Get support with fellow developers, designers, and programmers of all backgrounds and skill levels here with the Treehouse Community! While you're at it, check out some resources Treehouse students have shared here.

Looking to learn something new?

Treehouse offers a seven day free trial for new students. Get access to thousands of hours of content and join thousands of Treehouse students and alumni in the community today.

Start your free trial

Python Python Basics (2015) Shopping List App Refactor

oliverchou
oliverchou
20,886 Points
Posted by oliverchou
oliverchou
20,886 Points

anything wrong?

I've already got all stuff in a function, but why it kept telling me I hadn't put something inside a function?

shopping_list.py 
def show_help():
    # print out instructions on how to use the app
    print("What should we pick up at the store?")
    print("""
Enter 'DONE' to stop adding items.
Enter 'HELP' for this help.
Enter 'SHOW' to see your current list.
""")

def show_list(shopping_list):
    # print out the list
    print("Here's your list:")

    for item in shopping_list:
        print(item)

def add_to_list(shopping_list, new_item):
    # add new items to our list
    shopping_list.append(new_item)
    print("Added {}. List now has {} items.".format(new_item, len(shopping_list)))
    return shopping_list

def main():
    # make a list to hold onto our items
    shopping_list = []

    while True:
        # ask for new items
        new_item = input("> ")

    # be able to quit the app
        if new_item == 'DONE':
            break
        elif new_item == 'HELP':
            show_help()
            continue
        elif new_item == 'SHOW':
            show_list(shopping_list)
            continue
        else:
            add_to_list(shopping_list, new_item)


show_help()
main()
show_list(shopping_list)
Attila Farkas
Attila Farkas
9,323 Points

Hey Oliver,

Your code currently won't run and python errors out with a NameError when it gets to the show_list(shopping_list) function call since the shopping_list variable name does not exists outside your main() function. If you put the show_list(shopping_list) call at the end inside main(), then all works fine. Perhaps this is what's meant by the message you get about "putting stuff inside a function".

Good luck!

2 Answers

Cindy Lea
PLUS
Cindy Lea
Courses Plus Student 6,497 Points
Cindy Lea
Cindy Lea
Courses Plus Student 6,497 Points

You need to further define the functions and placement:

def show_help():
    # print out instructions on how to use the app
    print("What should we pick up at the store?")
    print("""
Enter 'DONE' to stop adding items.
Enter 'HELP' for this help.
Enter 'SHOW' to see your current list.
""")

def show_list(shopping_list):
    # print out the list
    print("Here's your list:")

    for item in shopping_list:
        print(item)

def add_to_list(shopping_list, new_item):
    # add new items to our list
    shopping_list.append(new_item)
    print("Added {}. List now has {} items.".format(new_item, len(shopping_list)))
    return shopping_list

def main():
    show_help()

    # make a list to hold onto our items
    shopping_list = []

    while True:
        # ask for new items
        new_item = input("> ")

        # be able to quit the app
        if new_item == 'DONE':
            break
        elif new_item == 'HELP':
            show_help()
            continue
        elif new_item == 'SHOW':
            show_list(shopping_list)
            continue
        add_to_list(shopping_list, new_item)

    show_list(shopping_list)
oliverchou
oliverchou
20,886 Points
oliverchou
oliverchou
20,886 Points

Thanks, Attila Farkas:

I've tried putting the show_list(shopping_list) inside main() seems it could run, but I still couldn't complete the challenge since it still says,"make sure you put everything in a function".

Any idea about what meet with the challenge's demand?