What is wrong with this python command?

Question

Let me first say that I'm a newbie to python, and I've written a python shell named test.py. The content is as follows:

#!/usr/bin/python
import os
cur_dir = os.getcwd();
print 'hello world' > cur_dir+"/test.log" 2>&1

When I run test.py by "python test.py", it says:

File "test.py", line 4
print 'hello world' > cur_dir+"/test.log" 2>&1
                                          ^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax

Could anyone give me some idea? Thanks!

P.S. what I want is to write a string in test.log file. That's all. As I said first, I'm REALLY new to python, so please don't be so harsh to me :), I'm gonna read through the tutorial first to have a glimpse of python, Thanks to all you guys!

You can't use shell redirection stuff like `>` and `2>&1` inside a Python program, because that's not Python code. Read [the Python tutorial](http://docs.python.org/tutorial/) to familiarize yourself with the basics of Python. — BrenBarn, Sep 10 '13 at 06:20
Updated my answer. I can also recommend [Learn Python the Hard Way](http://learnpythonthehardway.org/) . — Lennart Regebro, Sep 10 '13 at 06:41

Lennart Regebro · Accepted Answer · 2013-09-10T06:39:51.897

You are using invalid syntax. As a result Python gives you the error:

SyntaxError: invalid syntax

To fix this, stop using the invalid syntax.

Also in the future, explain what you are trying to achieve, and your answers are likely to tell you how to achieve that.

The invalid syntax looks like it's a bash redirection of stderr to stdout which makes no sense in the context above, so it's not possible to figure out what you are actually trying to do.

To write to a file you do this:

thefile = open('path_to_the_file', 'wt')
thefile.write('The file text.\n')

However, to do logging, you are better off using the logging module.

score 1 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:28

1

Use '>>' with print to redirect it to an alternate stream.

See How to print to stderr in Python?

edited May 23 '17 at 12:28

Community

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answered Sep 10 '13 at 06:26

bluedog

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Note that the shell redirection in the OP's example would print to stdout. – Lennart Regebro Sep 10 '13 at 06:27

What is wrong with this python command?

2 Answers2