python2.7: TypeError: unhashable type: 'list'

Question

I have tried to find an answer to this in vain, so here goes:

The goal is to have a dictionary that has a few lists as values, and then have a function that (depending on user input) will take one of those lists and combine it with other lists, and finally I should get the final list printed.

Seems simple enough but what I get is a type error (lists being unhashable). The combine2 function seems to be working perfectly fine with any other two lists I try to feed it, except for when it tries to get a list that is a dictionary value (??). Does anybody know what I'm doing wrong?

dic = {
        'reptiles': ['lizzard', 'crocodile', 'T-Rex'],
        'birds': ['canary', 'parrot', 'seagul'],
        'mammals': ['monkey', 'cat', 'dog'],
        'insects': ['ant', 'bee', 'wasp']
        }

FishList = ['goldfish', 'shark', 'trout']


def combine2 (a, b):    # returns the combinations of 2 lists' items
    tmp = []
    n = 0
    while n < len(a):
        for i in b:
            if 8 <= len(str(a[n])+str(i)) and 16 >= len(str(a[n])+str(i)):
                tmp.append(str(a[n]) + str(i))
        n += 1
    return tmp



def animals_mix(k, l):      # just some arbitrary combinations of lists
    list1 = combine2(FishList, dic[k])
    list2 = combine2(list1, dic[k])
    list3 = combine2(dic[k], FishList)
    l = dic[k] + list1 + list2 + list3


def animals():
    print '''\n\nwhat's your favourite animal group?\n
    1) reptiles
    2) birds
    3) mammals
    4) insects
    '''

    while True:
        x = raw_input("[+] pick a number >  ")
        tmp = []
        if x == '1':
            animals_mix(dic['reptiles'], tmp)
            break
        elif x == '2':
            animals_mix(dic['birds'], tmp)
            break
        elif x == '3':
            animals_mix(dic['mammals'], tmp)
            break
        elif x == '4':
            animals_mix(dic['insects'], tmp)
            break
        elif x == '':
            break
        else:
            print "\nError: That wasn't in the list of options\nType one of the numbers or press ENTER to move on\n"
    return tmp


print animals()

Jmills · Accepted Answer · 2017-02-04 16:24:19Z

1

For "TypeError: unhashable type: 'list'", it is because you are actually passing the list in your dict when you seemingly intend to pass the key then access that list:

animals_mix(dic['reptiles'], tmp)
...
def animals_mix(k, l):
    list1 = combine2(FishList, dic[k])

in the first line of animals_mix() you are actually trying to do dic[dic['reptiles']] and dicts can not be keyed by un-hashable types, hence the error.

answered Feb 4, 2017 at 16:24

Jmills

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