Python 3 fails and I can't see why.

[AC-3]

I'm doing a course right now to learn Python, and I can't get my head around why my first try fails, and why my solution doesn't. I have already completed the assignment, so no one is doing my homework.

 

dic = dict()
for line in handle:
    if not line.startswith("From: ") : continue
    words = line.split()
    dic[words[1]] = dic.get([words[1], 0]) + 1

This fails with the following traceback:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "9.4 Autograder.py", line 9, in <module>
    dic[words[1]] = dic.get([words[1], 0]) + 1
TypeError: unhashable type: 'list'

But,

dic = dict()
for line in handle:
    if not line.startswith("From: ") : continue
    dic[line.split()[1]] = dic.get(line.split()[1], 0) + 1

This one is successful.

 

Any help to make me understand my problem is greatly appreciated!

[vlads_]

dic.get([words[1], 0])

on your 5th line should be

dic.get(words[1], 0)

Instead of calling get with 2 arguments: the key to use (words[1]) and the default value if the key is not found (0), you are calling get with one argument: a new list with these 2 elements. Python tries to use it as a key, but it fails, which is what it's complaining about.

[AC-3]

21 hours ago, vlads_ said:

dic.get([words[1], 0])

on your 5th line should be

dic.get(words[1], 0)

Instead of calling get with 2 arguments: the key to use (words[1]) and the default value if the key is not found (0), you are calling get with one argument: a new list with these 2 elements. Python tries to use it as a key, but it fails, which is what it's complaining about.

Thank you very much for the help!