How to convert a string that has newline characters in it into a list in Python?

Question

Possible Duplicate:
split a string in python

I want to change this:

str = 'blue\norange\nyellow\npink\nblack'

to this:

list = ['blue','orange', 'yellow', 'pink', 'black']

I tried some for and while loops and have not been able to do it. I just want the newline character to be removed while triggering to make the next element. I was told to use:

list(str)

which gives

['b', 'l', 'u', 'e', '\n', 'o', 'r', 'a', 'n', 'g', 'e', '\n', 'y', 'e', 'l', 'l', 'o', 'w', '\n', 'p', 'i', 'n', 'k', '\n', 'b', 'l', 'a', 'c', 'k']

After this I use .remove() but only one '\n' is removed and the code gets more complicated to spell the colors.

Solution

You want your_str.splitlines(), or possibly just your_str.split('\n')

Using a for loop -- for instructional use only:

out = []
buff = []
for c in your_str:
    if c == '\n':
        out.append(''.join(buff))
        buff = []
    else:
        buff.append(c)
else:
    if buff:
       out.append(''.join(buff))

print out

Comments

[mgibsonbr]

str.split('\n')

[Israel CA]

Thank you very much, it works. I was just wondering if there is a way to do this by using for or while loops?

[mgilson]

@IsraelCA -- Sure there is. But why would you want to?

[mgilson]

@IsraelCA -- Added a for loop solution. I haven't tested it as I'm not at my computer with python at the moment, but I think it should work.

[Israel CA]

I am trying to teach myself how to do things and I want to see how codes can be written without using python buil in functions but if one can produce their own code to preform those same tasks. Thank you once again for the help.

[StressedBoi69420]

.split('\n') worked for me :) Thanks