Python Errors
Petr Svarny, 2020
Error
● Two kinds of errors in Python
○ Syntax error
■ Bad indentation, parenthesis is not closed, forgotten colon
○ Exceptions
>>> if x > 2
... print('x is greater than 2')
File "<ipython-input-73-00cd78beb41b>", line 1
if x > 2
^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax
Indentation error and missing parenthesis error
>>> if x > 2:
... print('x is greater than 2')
File "<ipython-input-74-544106e52c6f>", line 2
print('x is more than 2')
^
IndentationError: expected an indented block
>>> print'Hello'
File "<ipython-input-75-352cd0cc9337>", line 1
print 'Hello'
^
SyntaxError: Missing parentheses in call to 'print'
Exception
● Are syntactically correct
● List of built-in exceptions(Python 3.7)
>>> 3/0
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<ipython-input-80-a0641230c7a8>", line 1, in <module>
3/0
ZeroDivisionError: division by zero
Exception
>>> Fruits
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<ipython-input-82-2f4f0fa8bdfe>", line 1, in <module>
Fruits
NameError: name 'Fruits' is not defined
>>> f = open('frut.txt', 'r')
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<ipython-input-83-bdcc5d8c7fd1>", line 1, in <module>
f = open('frut.txt', 'r')
FileNotFoundError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 'frut.txt'
Exercise
● Correct following code - try first without running code
seasons = ['Spring', 'Summer', 'Fall', 'Winter']
print('My favorite season is ', seasons[4])
Exercise
● Correct following code - try first without running code
for number in range(10):
# use a if the number is a multiple of 3, otherwise use b
if (Number % 3) == 0:
message = message + a
else:
message = message + "b"
print(message)
Catching exceptions
● Use try - except
● Generally not recommended, use conditions instead
try:
code block where exception can occur
except:
code block that will run if exception occurs
Catching exceptions
>>> try:
... print(3 + 3)
... print('x' + 3)
... print(2 + 2)
... except:
... print('Error occurred')
6
Error occurred
Raising Exception
● We can raise exception in our code using raise
>>> raise Exception('Oh no, this is supposed to be number!')
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<ipython-input-87-4471a9c5e463>", line 1, in <module>
raise Exception('Oh no, this is supposed to be number!')
Exception: Oh no, this is supposed to be number!
Catching exceptions
● Better to use except with specific exception than catch all
exceptions
>>> try:
... raise NameError
... except IOError:
... print('Input/Output error')
... except NameError:
... print('Object does not exist')
... except:
... print('Some unknown exception')
... else:
... print('Everything is OK!')
Exercise
● Ask user to type name
● Raise exception if name
○ Contains number
○ Has spaces
○ Does not start with uppercase letter
Syntax hint: raise Exception(‘string’)
Exercise
● Create function that ask user to type two integers and
return division result
● If user type other data type than integer, ask to type
integer
● If second number is 0, ask user to type number again until
number is not 0
● Hint: while and/or try - except
Code debugging
● Locating, analyzing, and correcting a bug (error)
● May be as twice time consuming as writing the code
● Creative and intellectually challenging part of programming
Debugging tips
● Don’t panic
● Get into debug mode
● Don’t look for complex explanations
● If you code was working a minute ago, but now it doesn’t—what was the last thing you
changed?
● Reproduce problem
● Understand the error message. Do not be afraid of errors, they are here to help 🙂
● Be critical of your beliefs about your code
● Be systematic and persistent. Don’t panic
Exercise
● Debug following code
year == int.input("Greetings! What is your year of origin? '))
if year <= 1900
print ('Woah, that's the past!')
elif year > 1900 && year < 2020:
print ("That's totally the present!")
elif:
print ("Far out, that's the future!!")
Debug tool even without IDE
Package ipdb
● import ipdb; ipdb.set_trace()
