NameError: name "user_choice1" is not defined : <p>I am trying out a simple program and keep getting this particular error:</p>

<pre><code>line 34, in &lt;module&gt;
user_choice1 == input("Do you want to exit or continue searching?")
NameError: name 'user_choice1' is not defined
</code></pre>

<p>Here is the piece of code that is causing the error:</p>

<pre><code>while True:
choice = input("Do you want to add items?")
if choice == "y":
    add_items()
    more = input("Do you want to add more items?")
    if more == "y":
        add_items()
    else:
        while True:
            user_choice = input("Adding items finished. Do you want to search items or exit?")
            if user_choice == "search":
                search_item()
                while True:
                    user_choice1 == input("Do you want to exit or continue searching?")
                    if user_choice1 == "continue":
                        search_item()
                        continue 
                    elif user_choice1 == "exit":
                        sys.exit()
                    else:
                        break                
            elif user_choice == "exit":
                sys.exit
            else:
                continue


elif choice == "n":
    search_item()
    while True:
        user_choice2 = input("Searching finished. Do you want to continue or exit?")
        if user_choice2 == "continue":
            break
            continue
        elif user_choice2 == "exit":
            sys.exit()
        else:
            continue

elif choice == "exit":
    sys.exit()

else:
    print("Invalid Choice")
</code></pre>

<p>What is causing this error? I am using Python 3.5.2.
Also, is there a better way to write this code as in, is there a way to optimize this code?</p>
