python function not returning expected string

Question

I have a program that scans input text looking for a command. A command is in caps and surrounded by <> symbols.

Part of this program includes a function which scans ahead for the next command

def nextCommand(command):
    lar = command.find("<LAR>")
    #...etc (stripped out variable defs used in statements below)
    if lar != -1 and lar > sma or lar > med or lar > bar or lar > fba or lar > fee or lar > lef or lar > rig or lar > cen or lar > end:
        print "nextCommand - lar:" + str(lar)
        return str("<LAR>")
    if sma != -1 and sma > lar or sma > med or sma > bar or sma > fba or sma > fee or sma > lef or sma > rig or sma > cen or sma > end:
        print "nextCommandsma:" + str(sma)
        return str("<SMA>")
        #stripped out more checks
    else:
        return str("")

This gets called in the main program

    print_text = ""
            if str(nextCommand(input_string)) != "":
                    next_command = str(nextCommand(input_string))
                    print "value recieved from nextCommand() is: " + str(nextCommand)

If I input 123 SMA 456 LAR 789 instead of seeing SM> I am seeing: (took out < symbols as s/o thinks its part of an attack) "value recieved from nextCommand() is:

function nextCommand at <0xb74ce1ec>

What have I done wrong?

It wasnt originally but was sniffing around wrong trees when trying to debug it — ICT Teacher
– ICT Teacher, Commented Aug 21, 2013 at 10:37

TerryA · Accepted Answer · 2013-08-21 10:26:38Z

4

You have actually printed the representation of the function. Observe:

nextCommand # This references the function

And:

nextCommand() # This calls the function

I think you meant to put next_command here instead of nextCommand

print "value recieved from nextCommand() is: " + str(nextCommand)

Should be:

print "value recieved from nextCommand() is: " + next_command

answered Aug 21, 2013 at 10:26

TerryA

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