Terminal says "Syntax Error" when I try to open a file (Python)

Question

As a short background, I am just starting to learn Python and am familiarizing myself with the whole environment.

Now, I have 3 things open (Windows Vista): Command Prompt, IDLE (Python GUI), and gedit.

On the IDLE, I started typing print commands like so:

>>> print "Print this."
Print this.
>>> run thisfile.py
SyntaxError: invalid syntax
>>> print "Hello world."
Hello world.

Then I saved this file as prac1.py. Now, I opened Command Prompt, went to the directory where this file is saved and typed:

C:\Python27\PythonProjects>prac1.py

But Command Prompt/Terminal displays:

File "C:\Python27\PythonProjects>prac1.py", line 1

Syntax error: invalid syntax

What am I doing wrong? I haven't typed anything on gedit yet.

Lasse V. Karlsen · Accepted Answer · 2011-07-09 11:06:19Z

2

You can't run another script like that.

You need to import it, and then you can call functions and use types in it, like this:

import thisfile

This will import the contents of thisfile into the interpreter, then you can call functions:

thisfile.thatfunction

If you want "thatfunction" to be available without prefixing it with "thisfile", import the contents instead:

from thisfile import *

In any case, there is no run command, so wherever you got that from is not a good place to learn Python from.

answered Jul 9, 2011 at 11:06

Lasse V. Karlsen

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Tugrul Ates · Accepted Answer · 2011-07-09 11:09:22Z

2

Not everything you see in the interactive shell is valid Python code.

Skip the >>> prompt and output in a Python file. For example try to run this:

print "Print this."
run thisfile.py
print "Hello world."

Though, this still won't work because of other problems. I am leaving that to you to solve. Have fun!

answered Jul 9, 2011 at 11:09

Tugrul Ates

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catandmouse · Accepted Answer · 2011-07-09 11:12:54Z

0

Thanks for the answers but just now, I figured out what's wrong. I should type in the commands inside gedit (editor) and not inside IDLE. But I'll also try other ways to run the file like what you guys suggested. ;)

answered Jul 9, 2011 at 11:12

catandmouse

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