Convert input() to array in python

Question

I have input() in which must be typed something like this:

[[('Zamek', 2), ('Polonez', 7), ('Wojska Polskiego', 12), ('Słowiańska', 17), ('Solidarności', 21)], [('Zamek', 10), ('Polonez', 15), ('Wojska Polskiego', 21), ('Słowiańska', 24), ('Solidarności', 28)], [('Zamek', 17), ('Polonez', 22), ('Wojska Polskiego', 29), ('Słowiańska', 32), ('Solidarności', 36)], [('Zamek', 22), ('Polonez', 30), ('Wojska Polskiego', 37), ('Słowiańska', 40), ('Solidarności', 45)]]

and input() convert it to string, but then I can't work on this list. What I need to do to convert input?

Answer 1

Dangerous version:

data = input("Enter your list: ")
parsed_data = eval(data)

Answer 2

If you know the input is safe (only you provide it), you can just use eval

l = eval(input("bring it on:"))

a better version is ast.literal_eval

l = ast.literal_eval(input("much safer:"))

still in both cases you need to be sure the input is not getting from an un-trusted source

If you can make your input to be a json you have an even safer/better solution:

#possible input: [[["Zamek", 2], ["Polonez", 7], ["Wojska Polskiego", 12], ["S\\u0142owia\\u0144ska", 17], ["Solidarno\\u015bci", 21]], [["Zamek", 10], ["Polonez", 15], ["Wojska Polskiego", 21], ["S\\u0142owia\\u0144ska", 24], ["Solidarno\\u015bci", 28]], [["Zamek", 17], ["Polonez", 22], ["Wojska Polskiego", 29], ["S\\u0142owia\\u0144ska", 32], ["Solidarno\\u015bci", 36]], [["Zamek", 22], ["Polonez", 30], ["Wojska Polskiego", 37], ["S\\u0142owia\\u0144ska", 40], ["Solidarno\\u015bci", 45]]]
l = json.loads(input("please provide it in json format..."))