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Ruby Ruby Loops Build a Simple Contact List Part 2: Adding Contacts

Posted by Nick Yates
Nick Yates
8,621 Points

my code is perfect but it won't work?

def add_contact
  contact = {"name" => "", "phone_numbers" => []}
  contact["name"] = ask("What is the person's name?")
  answer = ""
  while answer != "n"
    answer = ask("Do you want to add a phone number? (y/n)")
    if answer == "y"
      phone = ask("Enter a phone number:")
      contact["phone_numbers"].push(phone)
    end
  end
end

answer = ""
while answer != "n"
  contact_list.push(add_contact())
end

I get an error saying that the variable "Contact_list is not defined?? help me!

Clayton Perszyk
Clayton Perszyk
Treehouse Moderator 48,850 Points
Clayton Perszyk
Clayton Perszyk
Treehouse Moderator 48,850 Points

do you have a contact_list defined; I don't see it here.

Kris Blanchette
Kris Blanchette
174 Points
Kris Blanchette
Kris Blanchette
174 Points

Can you show where you defined contact_list?

EDIT: didn't see Clayton's reply before asking.

1 Answer

Clayton Perszyk
MOD
Clayton Perszyk
Treehouse Moderator 48,850 Points
Clayton Perszyk
Clayton Perszyk
Treehouse Moderator 48,850 Points

Nick,

I modified your code and was able to get it functioning

contact_list = [] # didn't see this defined

def add_contact
  contact = {"name" => "", "phone_numbers" => []}
  # ask() isn't a ruby method; so, unless you made one you need to use puts and gets.chomp
  puts "What is the person's name?" 
  contact["name"] = gets.chomp
  answer = ""
  while answer != "n"
    puts "Do you want to add a phone number? (y/n)"
    answer = gets.chomp
    if answer == "y"
      puts "Enter a phone number:"
      phone = gets.chomp
      contact["phone_numbers"].push(phone)
    end
  end
  # the contact needs to be returned, or nothing is given back to the calling code
  return contact
end

answer = ""
while true
 puts "would you like to add a contact? (y/n)"
 answer = gets.chomp
 # this will break out of the loop 
 if answer == 'n'
    break
  end
  contact_list.push(add_contact())
end

# output the results
puts contact_list

Best, Clayton

Clayton Perszyk
Clayton Perszyk
Treehouse Moderator 48,850 Points
Clayton Perszyk
Clayton Perszyk
Treehouse Moderator 48,850 Points

I just watched the video and saw Jason created an ask() method, so if you use that, your code is fine; as long as you make the other changes. I think the main problems were that you weren't returning the contact and the missing contact_list.