Placing my integers into a list in python

Question

I am creating a program that uses the Caesar cipher to encode and decode messages. So far I am building the groundwork, I am trying to get my list of characters the user gives me and make a list of integers using ord...So far all I am having trouble with is getting my integers that I have received back into a list.

import random

encode_decode = input("Do you want to encode, or decode? (e/d)")

shift_amount = input("Please enter the shift amount for your message")

if encode_decode == "e" or encode_decode == "E":
    user_words_unrefined = input("Enter your message to encode!")
elif encode_decode == "d" or encode_decode == "D":
    user_words_unrefined = input("Enter your message to decode!")

user_words_refined = list(user_words_unrefined)

Alphabet = [chr(i) for i in range(ord('a'), ord('z') + 1)]

Counter = 0
for i in range(len(user_words_refined)):
    user_words_numbers = (ord(user_words_refined[Counter]))
    user_numbers_list = [user_words_numbers]
    print(user_numbers_list)
    Counter += 1

Input ("Hello, Party people!") output it prints them all on seperate lines with square brackets around them...any ideas?

[72]
[101]
[108]
[108]
[111]
[44]
[32]
[80]
[97]
[114]
[116]
[121]
[32]
[112]
[101]
[111]
[112]
[108]
[101]

Answer 1

This should sort you out. see the comments in the code. I will be happy to provide further explanation if need be

user_numbers_list = []    #initialise the list
Counter = 0
for i in range(len(user_words_refined)):
    user_words_numbers = (ord(user_words_refined[Counter]))
    user_numbers_list.append(user_words_numbers)     #add to the end of the list
    print(user_numbers_list)
    Counter += 1

The best bet is actually list comprehension... see Jordan Lewis's answer for a neater approach

Answer 2

Instead of using a for loop that ranges over the length of the input string, you could use a list comprehension.

user_numbers_list = [ord(letter) for letter in user_words_refined]

Answer 3

Change the last part to something like

user_numbers_list = []
Counter = 0
for i in range(len(user_words_refined)):
    user_words_numbers = (ord(user_words_refined[Counter]))
    user_numbers_list.append(user_words_numbers)
    print(user_numbers_list)
    Counter += 1

Also, consider iterating directly through user_words_refined, like

for word in user_words_refined:
    user_words_numbers = ord(word)
    user_numbers_list.append(user_words_numbers)
    print(user_numbers_list)

Answer 4

Just as a side note, instead of

encode_decode = input("Do you want to encode, or decode? (e/d)")

you could use

encode_decode = input("Do you want to encode, or decode? (e/d)").lower()

so you don't have to use too many or's in your if statement.