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up vote -1 down vote favorite 
variable_1 = "Dummy String"
variable_2 = "Dummy String"
variable_3 = "Dummy String"

for each in range(3):
    variable_(each+1) = "Another Dummy String"

The above is incorrect syntax for a problem I am trying to solve.

The purpose of this code is to append the numbers 1-3, to the end of the variable name, before modifying the contents of the variable.

On the run through of the loop - for the value 0 - the value 0 + 1 (1) should be appended to 'variable_' yielding variable_1.

My question is: Is this something that is possible in Python? (Python 2.7.8 more specifically), and/or is there a more practical way to achieve a similar result?

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1 Answer 1

up vote 2 down vote

usually, you want to use a list instead of a bunch of different similarly named variables:

variables = ['Dummy String'] * 3
for i in range(3):
    variables[i] = 'Another Dummy String'

Have a look at Ned Batchelder's "keep data out of your variable names".

share|improve this answer
    
I don't believe a list will work for what I'm trying to do. variables[i] will access the information stored within a list item, but i'm unable to run methods on each list item as an individual variable. variables[i].configure Vs. variable_1.configure –  Kastoli Sep 16 '14 at 3:00
    
You can use globals()['variable_%d' % i] = 'Another Dummy String' -- But that only works in the global namespace and it really isn't the right way to do it. . . –  mgilson Sep 16 '14 at 3:01

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