''' Purpose: convert an input list of integers into an integer list
'''

# get input
reply = input( 'Enter integers: ' )

print()

# split reply into list of numeric STRINGS
nbr_strings = reply.split()

#  see what we got
print( 'nbr_strings:', nbr_strings )

print()

# convert NUMERIC text into list of numbers

# IMPORTANT !! REVIEW THIS !!
# LIST ACCUMULATOR
# set up the accumulator to prepare for adding elements; we are building a list of numbers
numbers = []    # list accumulation always start with an EMPTY LIST; denoted by brackets []

# process the strings of nbr_strings one-by-one
# for each numeric string (ns) in our list of numeric strings
# we want to cast each numeric string to its integer counterpart
for ns in nbr_strings :
    # process the current numeric string

    # get numeric equivalent of ns
    nbr = int( ns )       # convert each ns into an int we call nbr
    print( nbr )

    # add equivalent int to list of numbers
    # put nbr into our list accumulator, add to the end of the list
    # adding elements at the end of a list is called appending --> we use the function append( x )
    # where x is something that you want to put at the end of your list
    # x can be anything like strings, ints, floats, even lists
    numbers.append( nbr )  # format: your_list.append( nbr ) --> we have put nbr to the end of our list called numbers

    # v = numbers.append( nbr )    # format: your_list.append( nbr ) --> we have put nbr to the end of our list called numbers
    # print( v )  # v here will be None because the append() function returns None

    # this is a GOTCHA!!!!!!! TAKE NOTE OF THIS PLZ
    # append() will change/update the ORIGINAL LIST !!!!! you don't need an assignment statement !!!!!!!
    # the function does not hand anything back, it gives you another keyword None
    # if you assign numbers = numbers.append( nbr ) IT WILL DESTROY THE LIST numbers --> numbers is now None and not a list
    # Lists are mutable = can be changed once built

    # strings are immutable!! cannot be changed once built

    # print the updated list of numbers
    print( 'numbers:', numbers )