[FIXED] Correct sequence of python functions

Issue

I wrote a very basic python code, but it didn't work:

str = "asddasdvsatvsyvcstvcsacvsacvsaifteiopvnvbcshavsdsdzasbbnyju"
dict = {}
for i in str:
    dict[i] = dict.get(i,0)+1

print(list(dict.items()).sort())

then I just changed the sequence of functions and separated them, and surprisingly it worked!

str = "asddasdvsatvsyvcstvcsacvsacvsaifteiopvnvbcshavsdsdzasbbnyju"
dict = {}
for i in str:
    dict[i] = dict.get(i,0)+1

mylist = list(dict.items())
mylist.sort()    
print(mylist)

What's happened from my first to second code that makes it work?

Solution

.sort() sorts the list in-place (it changes the list itself and doesn't make a copy). But it doesn't return anything (other than None).

If you do

print(list(dict.items()).sort())

You print the return value of sort() -- which is None.

But with

mylist.sort()    
print(mylist)

You first sort, and then you print the value of mylist. That's what you want.

You could also have done

print(sorted(mylist))

But that leaves mylist unchanged.

Answered By - RemcoGerlich