Shortening a long if-else check in Python using better conditions

Question

I am writing a Python program, where I need to have an if-else case to choose a number between 1, and 9, each number is assigned to a class. Any suggestions on how to make this code shorter?

import randint

variable1 = randint(1, 9)
if variable1 >= 9:
  print ("Your class is Tiefling") 
else: 
  if variable1 >= 8: 
    print ("Your class is Half-Orc") 
  else: 
    if variable1 >= 7: 
      print ("Your class is Half-Elf") 
    else:
      if variable1 >= 6: 
        print ("Your class is Gnome")
      else:
        if variable1 >= 5:
          print ("Your class is Dragonborn") 
         else: 
           if variable1 >= 4:
            print ("Your class is Human") 
          else:
            if variable1 >= 3:
              print ("Your class is Halfling") 
            else:
              if variable1 >= 2: 
                print ("Your class is Elf") 
              else:
                if variable1 >= 1:
                  print ("Your class is Dwarf")

Your indentation looks really weird. Would you mind fixing that? Also, if this code works, you'll probably get better answers over at [codereview.se], but please take a look at the help topics before posting. Specifically, you'll need to change the title to a summary of the code's purpose, and add a full description in the question itself. Good luck! — zondo, Apr 30 '17 at 12:44
You just need "switch". Look [here](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/60208/replacements-for-switch-statement-in-python) for this issue. — Sklert, Apr 30 '17 at 12:45
Do you really need to check for "greater than or equal" when you really want to check for exactly equal only? (rhetorical question) — JJJ, Apr 30 '17 at 12:45
Please consider http://stackoverflow.com/questions/11479816/what-is-the-python-equivalent-for-a-case-switch-statement. — toonice, Apr 30 '17 at 13:03

Cicero · Answer 1 · 2017-04-30T12:55:43.727

6

Example using a list

import random

classes = ['Tiefling', 'Half-Orc', 'Half-Elf', '...']

print('Your class is ' + classes[random.randrange(len(classes))])

edited based on alexis's comment.

edited Apr 30 '17 at 12:55

answered Apr 30 '17 at 12:47

Cicero

2,872
3
21
31

1

For list indexing, simply using `random.randrange(len(classes))` is simpler and less error-prone – alexis Apr 30 '17 at 12:52
1

The dict version is much more flexible imho. – Grimmy Apr 30 '17 at 12:56
1

And the `int` version is much simpler. Don't forget YAGTNI. – alexis Apr 30 '17 at 20:40

hiro protagonist · Answer 2 · 2017-04-30T13:22:19.597

an incomplete version using a dictionary:

val_msg = {3: 'Your class is Halfling',
           2: 'Your class is Elf',
           1: 'Your class is Dwarf'}

from random import randint

variable1 = randint(1, 3)
print(val_msg[variable1])

note that randint produces integers that i use as keys for the dictionary.

if you need to do more complicated things, you can put functions into the dictionary and call them (of course you can do the same with the list-based solutions here):

def do_halfling_stuff():
    print('Your class is Halfling')
def do_elf_stuff():
    print('Your class is Elf')
def do_dwarf_stuff():
    print('Your class is Dwarf')

val_func = {3: do_halfling_stuff,
            2: do_elf_stuff,
            1: do_dwarf_stuff}


variable1 = randint(1, 3)
func = val_func[variable1]
func()

score 3 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 30 '17 at 12:53

3

I hope this helps!

import random 
classList = ['Dwarf','Elf','Halfling','Human','Dragonborn','Gnome','Half-Elf','Half-Orc','Tiefling'] 
print 'Your class is ' + random.choice(classList)

answered Apr 30 '17 at 12:53

Yeong Zhen Hong

71
9

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Apr 30 '17 at 14:11

I guess you can use:

from random import randint
variable1 = randint(1, 9)
my_dict = {1: "Tiefling", 2: "Half-Orc", 3: "Half-Elf", 4: "Gnome", 5: "Dragonborn", 6: "Human", 7: "Halfling", 8: "Elf", 9: "Dwarf", }
base = "Your class is "
print("{}{}".format(base, my_dict[variable1]))

gunslinger · Answer 5 · 2017-06-11T12:10:18.710

If you are going to use this many times i recommend that you make a function:

def race_definer():
    races = {1: 'Tiefling', 2: 'Half-Orc', 3: 'Half-Elf', 4: 'Dragonborn',
             5: 'Elf', 6: 'Gnome', 7: 'Human', 8: 'Halfling', 9: 'Elf', 0: 'Dwarf'}

    print('Your race is {}.'.format(races[randint(0,9)]))

Than you can just call the function when you need it:

race_definer()

Just don't forget to import randint into your program before using the function:

from random import randint

Shortening a long if-else check in Python using better conditions

5 Answers5