Python list index out of range on return value of split

Question

I\'m writing a simple script that is trying to extract the first element from the second column of a .txt input file.

import sys

if (len(sys.argv) > 1):         


        

Answer 1

I would guess you have a blank line somewhere in your file. If it runs through the data and then generates the exception the blank line will be at the end of your file.

Please insert

print len(line), line

before your

print line[1]

as a check to verify if this is the case.

You can always use this construct to test for blank lines and only process/print non-blank lines:

for line in f:
    line = line.strip()
    if line:
       # process/print line further