Getting TypeError while escaping special characters from string using Python

Question

I am getting some error while escaping some special characters from string using Python. The error is given below.

Error:

trans_table = string.maketrans(trans_dict)
TypeError: maketrans() takes exactly 2 arguments (1 given)

Code:

import sys
import string
if "win" in sys.platform:
    special = """( ) < >  * ‘  = ? ; [ ] ^ ~ ! . ” % @ / \ : + , `""".split()
else:
    special = """{ }  ( ) < >  * ‘  = ? ; [ ]  $ – # ~ ! . ” %  / \ : + , `""".split()

trans_dict = {character: None for character in special}
trans_table = string.maketrans(trans_dict)
print("Lo+=r?e~~m ipsum dol;or sit!! amet, consectet..ur ad%".translate(trans_table))

Here I need to escape some special characters from the string.

I am using python 2.7 and can you please make this correct as per my need ? — satya
– satya, Commented Jul 17, 2017 at 8:55
@Ev.Kounis : The output should be Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur ad . Here I need to escape the given special characters from the string. — satya
– satya, Commented Jul 17, 2017 at 8:58

Moses Koledoye · Accepted Answer · 2017-07-17 09:18:05Z

2

maketrans does not take a dict in Python 2, it only takes two string parameters with equal lengths.

To delete characters you should pass a deletechars parameter to translate with a translation mapping empty strings:

...
delete_chars = ''.join(special)
trans_table = string.maketrans('', '')
print("Lo+=r?e~~m ipsum dol;or sit!! amet, consectet..ur ad%"
       .translate(trans_table, delete_chars))
# Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur ad

You could also drop the translation table and pass None to translate:

print("Lo+=r?e~~m ipsum dol;or sit!! amet, consectet..ur ad%"
  .translate(None, delete_chars))

edited Jul 17, 2017 at 9:18

answered Jul 17, 2017 at 9:04

Moses Koledoye

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4 Comments

Ma0 Over a year ago

How is this possible? Does this not go against the documentation?

Moses Koledoye Over a year ago

@Ev.Kounis What documentation are you reading? Python 2?

Ma0 Over a year ago

Thanks Moses. I need some coffee! It seems you dont have to set up the table if no replacement has to be done. So, .translate(None, delete_chars) works too

Moses Koledoye Over a year ago

@Ev.Kounis Ah yes, didn't see the None part. Thanks for the pointer.

Ma0 · Accepted Answer · 2017-07-17 09:13:36Z

1

Python 3

import sys
if "win" in sys.platform:
    special = """()<>*‘=?;[]^~!.”%@/\:+,`"""
else:
    special = """{}()<>*‘=?;[]$–#~!.”%/\:+,`"""

translator = str.maketrans('', '', special)
print("Lo+=r?e~~m ipsum dol;or sit!! amet, consectet..ur ad%".translate(translator))
# Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur ad

For more information on how the new maketrans works see this

Python 2

The code given above does not work with Python 2. For a working solution that uses .translate see the answer by @Moses. I would do it like that:

import sys
if "win" in sys.platform:
    special = """()<>*‘=?;[]^~!.”%@/\:+,`"""
else:
    special = """{}()<>*‘=?;[]$–#~!.”%/\:+,`"""

my_string = "Lo+=r?e~~m ipsum dol;or sit!! amet, consectet..ur ad%"
my_string = ''.join(x for x in my_string if x not in special)
# Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur ad

edited Jul 17, 2017 at 9:13

answered Jul 17, 2017 at 8:58

Ma0

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3 Comments

satya Over a year ago

As I am using python 2.7, str might cause error.

Ma0 Over a year ago

True, missed that.

satya Over a year ago

I did as per you but still this TypeError: maketrans() takes exactly 2 arguments (3 given) error.

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