How to error handle properly python

Question

I know the solution is not far off here but I am struggling to implement the ability to assign a numeric value to map scale based on user input. The code is pretty self explanatory but I would like the user to pick from 4 zoom states, using the input, return a numeric value to my map as the zoom start point.

zoom=5
while True:
    where = raw_input('Where would you like a map of?')
    try:
        heatmap = folium.Map(location=geo(where), tiles='Stamen Toner', zoom_start=zoom)
        pointmap = folium.Map(location=geo(where), tiles='Stamen Toner', zoom_start=zoom)
    except AttributeError, GeocoderServiceError:
        print "Cannot create map with the given location. Please try again."
    else:
        break
while True:
    zoom_state = ['city', 'state', 'country', 'world']
    zoom_state= raw_input('What level of detail would you like: city, state, country, or world?')
    try:
         for response in zoom_state:
            if response is ['city']:
                zoom == 9
                if response is ['state']:
                    zoom == 7
                    if response is ['country']:
                        zoom == 5
                        if response is ['world']:
                            zoom == 9 
    except TypeError, IndexError:
        print 'Please enter: city, state, country, or world. Try again'
        continue
    else:
        break

heatmap = folium.Map(location=geo(where), tiles='Stamen Toner', zoom_start=zoom)
pointmap = folium.Map(location=geo(where), tiles='Stamen Toner', zoom_start=zoom)

As it stands now I can put anything in for zoom_state and it will run.

Thanks in advance!

First of all, your raw input for level of detail is over writing the zoom_state list. What is the output when you run? — benrules2, Mar 09 '16 at 20:30
This code has a lot of problems. First, you define zoom_state and then modify it. Second, your nesting of if statements is suspect. Third, you are looping over zoom_state (for some reason) yet, you never use the response variable in the loop. — Oli, Mar 09 '16 at 20:30
Thank you both, obviously I am new to this (first quarter). The output is that it functions with the default of 5 I believe. I will change zoom_state to response hopefully get it in working order — Dana Scott, Mar 09 '16 at 20:34
Aside from the contributions of the answers, you might want to look at [this](http://stackoverflow.com/q/6470428/198633), to tackle the error that you don't yet notice, with `except TypeError, IndexError` — inspectorG4dget, Mar 09 '16 at 21:08

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 09 '16 at 20:34

You might be looking for something like this:

zoom=5
while True:
    where = raw_input('Where would you like a map of?')
    try:
        heatmap = folium.Map(location=geo(where), tiles='Stamen Toner', zoom_start=zoom)
        pointmap = folium.Map(location=geo(where), tiles='Stamen Toner', zoom_start=zoom)
    except AttributeError, GeocoderServiceError:
        print "Cannot create map with the given location. Please try again."
    else:
        break
while True:
    zoom_level = {'city':9, 'state':7, 'country':5, 'world':9}
    zoom_detail = raw_input('What level of detail would you like: city, state, country, or world?')
    try:
         zoom = zoom_level[str(zoom_detail)]
    except TypeError, IndexError:
        print 'Please enter: city, state, country, or world. Try again'
        continue
    else:
        break

heatmap = folium.Map(location=geo(where), tiles='Stamen Toner', zoom_start=zoom)
pointmap = folium.Map(location=geo(where), tiles='Stamen Toner', zoom_start=zoom)

This was exactly what I was looking for I really appreciate your help. Sorry for putting such a mess up here! :) — Dana Scott, Mar 09 '16 at 20:37
No problem! Everyone has to learn somewhere. Can you see what I did with the zoom_level? I turned it into a dictionary, so looking up the zoom_detail keyword returns the value paired to that name. It simplifies the if statement and is fairly python-esque. — benrules2, Mar 09 '16 at 20:40
I was really excited to see that used here. It is MUCH more elegant than I every would thought to implement. Thank you again, that was very helpful! — Dana Scott, Mar 09 '16 at 20:43

How to error handle properly python

1 Answers1