Why does my try statement keep repeating itself?

Question

I know there are other issues with this code but I am wondering why the try statement stays stuck in the loop. I put a break statement after I return the salesPrice I also tried putting the break before I returned the salesPrice and it does not work. Why isnt it breaking out of the loop with the break statement?

def getFloatInput(sales):
    i = True
    while i:
        try:
            salesPrice = getFloatInput(float(input("Enter property sales value: ")))
            return salesPrice
            break
            if salesPrice <= 0:
                print("Enter a numeric value greater than 0")
        except ValueError:
            print("Input must be a numeric value")
        continue

def main():
    sales = float(input("Enter property sales value: "))
    addToList = []
    i = True
    while i:
        addToList.append(getFloatInput(sales))
        repeat = input("Enter another value Y or N: ")
        if repeat == "Y":
            getFloatInput(sales)
        else:
            break

main()

Answer 1

You are calling your getFloatInput(sales) function within the function itself, on the line salesPrice = getFloatInput(float(input("Enter a property sales values: "))) . Your code isn't actually reaching your return salesPrice line because you are calling the function again.

Answer 2

Some of the issues:

• The function getFloatInput calls itself over and over again, without any condition. There is no reason for it to call itself, since you already have a loop that allows for repeating the prompt.

• The code that follows immediately below the return statement can never be reached

• The sales argument is never used by getFloatInput . It is an unnecessary parameter.

• The main code will call getFloatInput a second time in the if block, but that value is then ignored -- it is not added to the list. getFloatInput should not be called there. The loop should just make its next iteration where it will be called.

• The i name is overkill. You can just do while True: .

• continue at the end of a loop body has no use -- the loop will anyhow continue when execution gets at that point.

Here is a corrected version:

def getFloatInput():
    while True:
        try:
            salesPrice = float(input("Enter property sales value: "))
            if salesPrice > 0:
                return salesPrice
            print("Enter a numeric value greater than 0")
        except ValueError:
            print("Input must be a numeric value")

def main():
    addToList = []
    while True:
        addToList.append(getFloatInput())
        repeat = input("Enter another value Y or N: ")
        if repeat != "Y":
            break

main()