simple python list problem

Question

According to the docs:

list.append(x): Add an item to the end of the list

So, if I do:

list = []
list.append("banana")
print list[0] --> which is suppose to print the FIRST item of the list
> banana

So far so good, however if now I append another item:

list.append("apple")
print list[0]

apple

Wasn't it suppose to append to the END of the list? How do I keep the order of the list when appending? How should I print the first and last items of the list -- in the order they were added to it?

Thanks

You shouldn't use the name list as a variable name. However, you must be missing something in your question. Append add's elements to the back of the list — GWW
– GWW, Commented Mar 23, 2011 at 19:47
Just out of curiosity, you're not actually using the variable name list in your code, correct? Big no-no — John Giotta
– John Giotta, Commented Mar 23, 2011 at 19:47
@S.Lott, my reasoning was to provide an alert to other users who could be trying to answer the question as I still needed 10 minutes to accept the answer. — relima
– relima, Commented Mar 23, 2011 at 20:05
Folks are going to answer anyway. Even after you accept an answer. Not to worry about them. You got what you needed, that's what mattered. — S.Lott
– S.Lott, Commented Mar 23, 2011 at 20:23

Mike Lewis · Accepted Answer · 2011-03-23 19:45:59Z

3

>>> l = []
>>> l.append('banana')
>>> print l[0]
banana
>>> l.append('apple')
>>> print l[0]
banana
>>> print l
['banana', 'apple']

Works fine for me, are you sure you aren't clearing the list anytime?

answered Mar 23, 2011 at 19:45

Mike Lewis

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1 Comment

relima Over a year ago

Ahn! You nailed it! It is recreating the list on a loop! Thanks, I was getting nuts with it.

nmichaels · Accepted Answer · 2011-03-23 19:46:02Z

1

Works for me. You probably ought to pick a name other than list, since there's a built-in function called list.

>>> list = []
>>> lst = []
>>> lst.append("banana")
>>> print lst[0]
banana
>>> lst.append("apple")
>>> print lst[0]
banana
>>> print lst
['banana', 'apple']

answered Mar 23, 2011 at 19:46

nmichaels

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2 Comments

Bastian Over a year ago

it works even with "list" for me. BTW.. you can ommit the "print"

nmichaels Over a year ago

@Bastian: I know it works, but it's a bad idea. And I was trying to change as little as possible from the OP's example, but yes, print can be omitted.

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