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Python Python Basics (2015) Letter Game App Letter Game Refinement

Posted by Anmol Gulati
Anmol Gulati
13,991 Points

Number Game App with Python

When I try catch the exception using the except block it gives me the following error when I try to add a non integer number :

Guess a number between 1 and 10: l
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "number_game1.py", line 9, in game
guess = int(input("Guess a number between 1 and 10: "))
ValueError: invalid literal for int() with base 10: 'l'
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "number_game1.py", line 30, in <module>
game()
File "number_game1.py", line 11, in game
print("Hey, {} is not a number huhh!!".format(guess))
UnboundLocalError: local variable 'guess' referenced before assignment

Here is my code:

import random

def game():
    secret_num = random.randint(1, 10)
    guesses = []

    while len(guesses) < 5:
        try:
            guess = int(input("Guess a number between 1 and 10: "))
        except ValueError:
            print("Hey, {} is not a number huhh!!".format(guess))
        else:    
            if guess == secret_num:
                print("You got it buddy.My number was {}.".format(guess))
                break
            elif guess < secret_num:
                print("My number is higher than {}".format(guess))
            else:
                print("My number is lower than {}".format(guess)) 
            guesses.append(guess)

    else:
        print("You ran out of choices.My number was {}.".format(secret_num))
    play_again = input("Do you want to play again? Y/n :")
    if play_again.lower() != 'n':
        game()
    else:
        print("Bye!")

game()

2 Answers

Chris Freeman
MOD
Chris Freeman
Treehouse Moderator 68,457 Points
Chris Freeman
Chris Freeman
Treehouse Moderator 68,457 Points

If the input can not be converted to an int then the error is raised before guess is assigned. One fix is to save guess input before converting:

        try:
            guess = input("Guess a number between 1 and 10: ")
            guess = int(guess)
        except ValueError:
            print("Hey, {} is not a number huhh!!".format(guess))
Anmol Gulati
Anmol Gulati
13,991 Points

Worked. Thanks a lot.

shelley goel
shelley goel
3,547 Points
shelley goel
shelley goel
3,547 Points

I would like to point out there is error in try-except block in Video . Because of combining int and input in one line, guess is not assigned if a ValueError occurs at first guess, thus the print statement in except will give UnboundLocalError.

I understand modifying Video is not easy and not useful for such small error. But it might help students if a note is made in the video description.

Chris Freeman
Chris Freeman
Treehouse Moderator 68,457 Points
Chris Freeman
Chris Freeman
Treehouse Moderator 68,457 Points

Your are correct Shelley. The Number Game video @ 1:45 introduces a possible unbound error in the except block.

Tagging Kenneth Love to for comment and possible Teacher's Notes update. (Actually, for the linked video, there are no teacher's notes.)

Kenneth Love
Kenneth Love
Treehouse Guest Teacher
Kenneth Love
Kenneth Love
Treehouse Guest Teacher

Good catch! The error message should probably just tell them they had a bad guess and not what the guess was. I'll leave a new note in the Teacher's Notes.