Python Syntax Error when entering \ inside quotes

Question

Line of code:

typewrite('C\Users\Arthur\Desktop\New folder\a'+picture[i]+'.png')

If I remove the \ from the code, the above works so I know the issue is with the \ symbol and do not remember why \ cannot be in quotes this way.

Syntax Error:

(unicode error) 'unicodeescape' codec can't decode bytes in position 1-2: truncated \UXXXXXXXX escape

picture = ["a1", "a2", "a3", "a4", "a5", "a7", "a6", "a8", "a9", "a10", "a11", "a12"] — Artur Podlesniy, Sep 28 '20 at 06:03

score 1 · Accepted Answer · edited Sep 28 '20 at 05:58

\ has a special meaning. While giving a address you have to counter this special meaning. You could do one of the following: Either:

typewrite('C\\\Users\\\Arthur\\\Desktop\\\New folder\\\a'+picture[i]+'.png')

That is, I have used double slashes.

Or,

typewrite(r'C\\Users\Arthur\Desktop\New folder\a'+picture[i]+'.png')

That is, put 'r' before 'C.... (don't use double slashes with this method)

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