[Python] Need help in writing list program that removes square brackets as well as contents stored within from userinput

Question

My current program at the moment:
filename = []
while True:
fileinput = input("Filename? ")
if fileinput == "":
break
else:
filename.append(fileinput)

print(filename)

Key Points:
- Must be able to take in any input
- Able to remove [] as well as any content stored inside the [] if present, if no [] are present.
- Cannot use import re
- Preferable to use splicing method

Any help will be appreciated as I am new to python and have troubles formulating the condition.

Answer 1

If there only one '[]' in your input, then use something like:
ind0 = fileinput.find('[')
ind1 = fileinput.find(']') + 1
and then slice out these two indices from your string like:
fileinput = fileinput[:ind0] + fileinput[ind1:] Ofcourse there are many solutions for this, at least this one exists.

Answer 2

Ah icic. Thank you for help! Your explanation and code have been really helpful for me. Glad that I learnt something new today.

Answer 3

Any idea how i can merge your code into mine as i need to keep prompting filename unless empty string is given.

Answer 4

filename = []

while True:
fileinput = input("Filename? ")
if fileinput == "":
break
else:
ignore = 0
for char in fileinput:
if char == "[":
ignore = 1
elif char == "]":
ignore = 0
elif ignore == 0:
filename += char
filename.append(fileinput)

print(filename)

Like this? It creates a very weird output though and does not remove []

Answer 5

But am sure that i probably not doing it right. Pls guide me if possible.

Answer 6

Like this?

filename = []

while True:
fileinput = input("Filename? ")
if fileinput == "":
break
else:
ignore = 0
for char in fileinput:
if char == "[":
ignore = 1
elif char == "]":
ignore = 0
elif ignore == 0:
filename += char
filename.append(filename)

print(filename)

Input:
Filename? test [test]
Filename? [test] test

Output:
['t', 'e', 's', 't', ' ', [...], ' ', 't', 'e', 's', 't', [...]]

Answer 7

I need the output to be [test, test]

Answer 8

Thank you it works as intended. If it doesn't trouble you, can you please help explain what does the lines mean:
else:
ignore = 0
fileinput2 = ""
for char in fileinput:
if char == "[":
ignore = 1
elif char == "]":
ignore = 0
elif ignore == 0:
fileinput2 += char
filename.append(fileinput2)

Sorry this is the first time i am using ignore command.

Answer 9

So ignore = 1 stops any input from being appended to list till ignore becomes 0?