pick_state.py

# Filename: pick_state.py

# To run this file, type
#    python pick_state.py
# in a terminal window.

# This script requires the file us_states.txt which is available at
# https://gist.github.com/Radcliffe/7a3e0fe2efc0a9aeb523abfac67865db

import csv
import random

# Read the file us_states.txt into a list of dictionaries.
with open('us_states.txt') as input_file:
    states = list(csv.DictReader(input_file, delimiter='|'))

# For example:
#   states[0]['StateName'] == 'Alaska'
#   states[0]['StateCode'] == 'AK'
#   states[0]['StateDate'] == '1819-12-14'
#   states[1]['StateName'] == 'Alabama'
#     etc.

# Pick a random state
state = random.choice(states)

# Display information about the state, using a template.
template = "{StateName} joined the Union on {StateDate}, and its postal code is {StateCode}."
print(template.format(**state))

# The ** operator expands a dictionary into keyword arguments.
# The last line is equivalent to the following (much more verbose) statement:

# print(template.format(StateName=state['StateName'],
#                       StateDate=state['StateDate'],
#                       StateCode=state['StateCode']))