Python: can't assign to literal

Question

My task is to write a program that asks the user to enter 5 names which it stores in a list. Next, it picks one of these names at random and declares that person as the winner. The only issue is that when I try to run it, it says can't assign to literal.

This is my code:

import random
1=input("Please enter name 1:")
2=int(input('Please enter name 2:'))
3=int(input('Please enter name 3:'))
4=int(input('Please enter name 4:'))
5=int(input('Please enter name 5:'))
name=random.randint(1,6)
print('Well done '+str(name)+'. You are the winner!')

I have to be able to generate a random name.

Answer 1

The left hand side of the = operator needs to be a variable. What you're doing here is telling python: "You know the number one? Set it to the inputted string.". 1 is a literal number, not a variable. 1 is always 1, you can't "set" it to something else.

A variable is like a box in which you can store a value. 1 is a value that can be stored in the variable. The input call returns a string, another value that can be stored in a variable.

Instead, use lists:

import random

namelist = []
namelist.append(input("Please enter name 1:"))  #Stored in namelist[0]
namelist.append(input('Please enter name 2:'))  #Stored in namelist[1]
namelist.append(input('Please enter name 3:'))  #Stored in namelist[2]
namelist.append(input('Please enter name 4:'))  #Stored in namelist[3]
namelist.append(input('Please enter name 5:'))  #Stored in namelist[4]

nameindex = random.randint(0, 5)
print('Well done {}. You are the winner!'.format(namelist[nameindex]))

Using a for loop, you can cut down even more:

import random

namecount = 5
namelist=[]
for i in range(0, namecount):
  namelist.append(input("Please enter name %s:" % (i+1))) #Stored in namelist[i]

nameindex = random.randint(0, namecount)
print('Well done {}. You are the winner!'.format(namelist[nameindex]))

Answer 2

Just adding 1 more scenario which may give the same error:

If you try to assign values to multiple variables, then also you will receive same error. For e.g.

In C (and many other languages), this is possible:

int a=2, b=3;

In Python:

a=2, b=5

will give error:

can't assign to literal

EDIT:

As per Arne's comment below, you can do this in Python for single line assignments in a slightly different way: a, b = 2, 5