why this code doesn't work (string function)?

Question

I have a piece of python code

def getAvailableLetters(lettersGuessed):
    str='abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz'
    for i in lettersGuessed:
        if i in str:
            str.replace(i,'')
    return str
getAvailableLetters(['a','v','k','k','l','i','o','0'])

The problem is that str.replace(i,'') doesn't work. Please help me in understand why?

i don't know how to edit in stack exchange , someone please help me in edit , please share some documentation about how to edit this — Cloud JR K, Jul 30 '18 at 17:23
Press the 'edit' button under the words 'python' and 'string' This will take you to the edit screen. — AJF, Jul 30 '18 at 17:24
Sidenote: With the current logic you have, you don't need `if i in str:` line, because `str.replace` won't error if `i` is not present in `str`. — Sunny Patel, Jul 30 '18 at 17:26
@CloudJR no, it serves as a signpost to the duplicate question — Adam Smith, Jul 30 '18 at 17:26

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Jul 30 '18 at 17:25

3

str.replace(i,'') doesn't not change the actual string, you would need

str = str.replace(i,'')

answered Jul 30 '18 at 17:25

scharette

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Note that `str` is a terrible name for a variable, since `str` is the built-in name for the string type. – Adam Smith Jul 30 '18 at 17:26
@AdamSmith True. – scharette Jul 30 '18 at 17:26
See the "Answer Well-Asked Questions" section of [How to Answer](https://stackoverflow.com/help/how-to-answer), particularly the bullet point regarding questions which "*have already been asked and answered many times before*". – Charles Duffy Jul 30 '18 at 17:27
@CharlesDuffy Thank you for the link. Honestly it is the first time I see the linked duplicate and I just went and upvoted it. I won't answer that type of question in the future. – scharette Jul 30 '18 at 17:28

why this code doesn't work (string function)?

1 Answers1