python logic

[SS]

On Friday, September 1, 2017 at 9:32:16 AM UTC-4, SS wrote:
> Check out the following simple code:
> 
> #!/bin/python
> 
> print "1 - echo 1"
> print "2 - echo 2"
> 
> answer = input("Enter your choice - ")
> 
> if answer == 1:
>   print "1"
> elif answer == 2:
>   print "2"
> else:
>   print "Invalid choice!"
> 
> 
> The else statement noted above works fine for numeric values other then 1 or 2.  But if a user types in alphanumeric data (letters) into this, it blows up.  Check out the following:
> 
> [root at ansi ~]$ ./trash
> 1 - echo 1
> 2 - echo 2
> Enter your choice - 3
> Invalid choice!
> 
> [root at ansi ~]$ ./trash
> 1 - echo 1
> 2 - echo 2
> Enter your choice - r
> Traceback (most recent call last):
>   File "./trash", line 6, in <module>
>     answer = input("Enter your choice - ")
>   File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
> NameError: name 'r' is not defined
> 
> I would expect the same behavior from both runs.  Why does Python differ in the way it treats a character in that program?  Finally, how to accomodate for such (how to fix)?
> 
> TIA

raw_input, nice.  Thanks!!