Python: How to Split String with Empty Separator

Sunday, December 4, 2016

First of all, this is on Python 2 point something something.

For instance, we have this string:

a = "This string"

If we use split with an empty string "" or '', it will return error.

b = a.split("")

ValueError

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line ..., in <module>
ValueError: empty separator

In JavaScript, we can directly use empty separator. Like so:

a.split("");
["T", "h", "i", "s", " ", "s", "t", "r", "i", "n", "g"] // output

That can't be done in Python (different algorithm). Below is some of the methods in Python.

Use list() Function

b = list(a)
print b
["T", "h", "i", "s", " ", "s", "t", "r", "i", "n", "g"]

Use map() Function

c = map(None, a)
print c
["T", "h", "i", "s", " ", "s", "t", "r", "i", "n", "g"]

Generic

String is an iterable object. So, we can directly use the index of each string and/or do iteration using for.

Let's initiate a list object, get each string value using for, and copy it to the newly created object:

d = [value for value in a]
print d
["T", "h", "i", "s", " ", "s", "t", "r", "i", "n", "g"]

"...initiate a list object, get each string value using for, and copy it to the newly created object..."

[value for value in a]

By MonkeyRaptor

Python: How to Split String with Empty Separator

https://monkeyraptor.johanpaul.net/2016/12/python-how-to-split-string-with-empty.html

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