Python replace string with empty if length not equal to x

Question

I have the following dataframe:

df=pd.DataFrame({'ssn':[12345,54321,111,47895,222311],'Name':['john','mike','adam','doug','liz']})

The DataFrame contains a 'ssn' that is supposed to only contain 5 digits. I want to replace all the rows that contain less than or greater than 5 digits with blank spaces.

The desired output is as below:

   Name   ssn
0  john   12345
1  mike   54321
2  adam   
3  doug   47895
4  liz

I referred to the following post from SO replace string if length is less than x However, on using the same solution with following commands gives me an error:

mask = df['ssn'].str.len() == 5
df['ssn'] = df['ssn'].mask(mask, df['ssn'].str.replace(df['ssn'], ''))
Traceback (most recent call last): 
TypeError: 'Series' objects are mutable, thus they cannot be hashed

I would appreciate any suggestions.

df.assign(ssn=df.ssn.where(df.ssn.astype(str).str.len().eq(5), '')). You aren't dealing with strings, so I'm surprised you're getting that error, since it should error out when you try to use the string accessor — user3483203
– user3483203, Commented May 14, 2019 at 21:01

Mason Caiby · Accepted Answer · 2019-05-14 21:14:17Z

2

You can do this with df.apply as well: df['ssn'] = df['ssn'].apply(lambda a: a if len(str(a))==5 else '').

answered May 14, 2019 at 21:14

Mason Caiby

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vlemaistre · Accepted Answer · 2019-05-14 21:14:37Z

1

Your column ssn contains numbers not string, that is why it is not working. Try the following :

mask = df['ssn'].astype(str).str.len() != 5
df.loc[mask, 'ssn'] = ''

In [1] : print(df)
Out[1] :    Name    ssn
0  john  12345
1  mike  54321
2  adam       
3  doug  47895
4   liz

answered May 14, 2019 at 21:14

vlemaistre

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