'Name' is not defined, but I swear it is? (Python)

Question

I'm testing out this QPython app on my phone and I have the following code:

#-*-coding:utf8;-*
#qpy:console
#qpy:2

numOne = 1
numTwo = 2

person = str(input("What's your name?")) 
print "Guess what I can do?" 
print "Hello,", person

However, it returns an error:

> hipipal.qpyplus/scripts/.last_tmp.py"    <
What's your name?jason
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/storage/emulated/0/com.hipipal.qpyplus/scripts/.last_tmp.py", line 8, in <module>
    person = str(input("What's your name?"))
  File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
NameError: name 'jason' is not defined
1|u0_a320@hltetmo:/ $

Sorry if formatting is off, I am posting this from my phone on the go.

use `raw_input` instead. `input` evaluates your input as python. — njzk2, Oct 02 '14 at 20:52
You swear you have a variable named `jason`? Where did you define it? — Wooble, Oct 02 '14 at 20:52
This SO question sums it up pretty nicely: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/4915361/whats-the-difference-between-raw-input-and-input-in-python3-x — NaeiKinDus, Oct 02 '14 at 20:55

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 02 '14 at 21:48

You are using Python2, input() will evaluate input; which means when you type jason, it is trying to find a variable called jason, and since it doesn't exist, you get the exception. You should raw_input, which will return the input as a string:

>>> input('hello: ')
hello: jason
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
  File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
NameError: name 'jason' is not defined
>>> raw_input('hello: ')
hello: jason
'jason'

In Python3, it will work as expected:

>>> input('hello: ')
hello: json
'json'

Ah, okay. Every class and book I've used has only dealt with Python 2.7! I wasn't aware of the difference in 3, as I just learned print statements now go in parenthesis! — Jason T. Eyerly, Oct 03 '14 at 00:00

'Name' is not defined, but I swear it is? (Python)

1 Answers1