catching an IOError in python

Question

I wrote a method that does some stuff and catches bad filenames. what should happen is if the path doesn't exist, it throws an IOError. however, it thinks my exception handling is bad syntax... why??

def whatever():
    try:
        # do stuff
        # and more stuff
    except IOError:
        # do this
        pass
whatever()

but before it even gets to calling whatever(), it prints the following:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "", line 1, in 
  File "getquizzed.py", line 55
    except IOError:
         ^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax

when imported...help?!

Brian M. Hunt · Accepted Answer · 2018-09-28 11:20:49Z

10

Check your indenting. This unhelpful SyntaxError error has ~~fooled me before.~~ :)

From the deleted question:

I'd expect this to be a duplicate, but I couldn't find it.

Here's Python code, expected outcome of which should be obvious:

x = {1: False, 2: True} # no 3

for v in [1,2,3]:
  try:
      print x[v]
  except Exception, e:
      print e
      continue
I get the following exception: SyntaxError: 'continue' not properly in loop.

I'd like to know how to avoid this error, which doesn't seem to be 
explained by the continue documentation.

I'm using Python 2.5.4 and 2.6.1 on Mac OS X, in Django.

Thank you for reading

edited Sep 28, 2018 at 11:20

answered Feb 2, 2011 at 0:16

Brian M. Hunt

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2 Comments

Falmarri Over a year ago

@tekknalogi: How do you know it won't? What error message are you getting?

Exa Over a year ago

Unfortunately, the link does not exist any more. Care to explain what the problem was?

Der Schley · Accepted Answer · 2013-08-14 16:05:44Z

5

there's 1 more possible if you're privileged to have an older installation

and

you're using the 'as' syntax:

except IOError as ioe:

and

the parser's getting tripped up on 'as'.

Using as is the preferred syntax in Python 2.6 and better.

It's a syntax error in Python 2.5 and older. For pre-2.6, use this:

except IOError, ioe:

answered Aug 14, 2013 at 16:05

Der Schley

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Comments

Benjamin · Accepted Answer · 2011-02-02 00:19:32Z

2

Just missing something in your try block, i.e. pass or anything, otherwise it gives an indentation error.

answered Feb 2, 2011 at 0:19

Benjamin

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Comments

unutbu · Accepted Answer · 2011-02-02 00:17:53Z

1

You will get a syntax error if you don't put something in side the try block. You can put pass just to hold the space:

try:
    # do stuff
    # and more stuff
    pass
except IOError:
    # do this
    pass

answered Feb 2, 2011 at 0:17

unutbu

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2 Comments

tekknolagi Over a year ago

oh there was stuff...see the comment. and why is your syntax highlighted not mine?

John Greene Over a year ago

@tekknolagi try this insertion in first line of the code block:

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