[Tutor] Won't run. Syntax Error.

[Dave Angel]

On 8/9/2013 15:43, Kimberly Mansfield wrote:

> This is the first homework assignment. Driving me crazy - struggling with
> it for two entire days. I want to drop this class now.
>
> I think it is all entered correctly, but it won't run and teacher will not
> accept it if it won't run. Says "syntax error" and highlights one of the
> numbers in the top line that was there when I first opened it, before I
> typed anything. Specifically, this:
> Python 3.3.2 (v3.3.2:d047928ae3f6, May 16 2013, 00:03:43) [MSC v.1600 32
> bit (Intel)] on win32

But that line should NOT be in your source file.  That's the prompt the
interpreter displays.

> The middle 3 (in red) is highlighted. There is no arrow pointing to it or
> anything else.  We are supposed to write something to help a pizza parlor
> owner figure out how many pepperoni sticks he will need for the month. The
> teacher gave us an IPO chart with these definitions and we are supposed to
> write the code for it in Python. I used floats throughout because this is
> the umpteenth time I have rewritten this thing, and was thinking maybe it
> was because I used integers as well as floats before, and thought maybe the
> problem was because I used both.
> I will post it below in case you need to see the whole thing.
> Obviously, I have no programming background and this is supposed to be a
> beginner's class.
> Please help. I am running out of hair to yank out of my head and my dogs
> are afraid of me now.
>
> Python 3.3.2 (v3.3.2:d047928ae3f6, May 16 2013, 00:03:43) [MSC v.1600 32
> bit (Intel)] on win32
> Type "copyright", "credits" or "license()" for more information.

Why are you typing all this into the interpreter?

>>>> Pizzas = float (input ("Number of Pizzas "))
> Number of Pizzas 100
>>>> Length = float (input ("Length of Pizzas "))
> Length of Pizzas 11
>>>> Width = float (input ("Width of Pizzas "))
> Width of Pizzas 11
>>>> Thickness = float (input ("Thickness of Pepperoni Slices "))
> Thickness of Pepperoni Slices .1
>>>> Diameter = float (input ("Diameter of Pepperoni Slices "))
> Diameter of Pepperoni Slices 1
>>>> Edge = float (input ("Crust Edge of Pizzas "))
> Crust Edge of Pizzas .5
>>>> StickLength = float (input ("Length of Pepperoni Sticks "))
> Length of Pepperoni Sticks 10
>>>> UsefulLength = Length - 2 * Edge
>>>> SlicesLength = UsefulLength / Diameter
>>>> UsefulWidth = Width - 2 * Edge
>>>> SlicesWidth = UsefulWidth / Diameter
>>>> Slices = SlicesWidth * SlicesLength
>>>> TotalSlices = Slices * Pizzas
>>>> HypoLength = TotalSlices * Thickness
>>>> PepperoniSticks = HypoLength / StickLength
>>>> print (StickLength)
> 10.0
>>>> print ("You will need", PepperoniSticks, "pepperoni sticks this month.")
> You will need 100.0 pepperoni sticks this month.
>

   <Snipped HTMl junk.  Please send messages as text>

Have you got a text editor?  (Even Notepad is good enough for a
case like this)  Nobody should write a program of this size directly in
the interpreter. You certainly don't want to be retyping the whole
thing when there's one typo.

Start simple.  Create a text file called simple.py, and consisting of
one line:

print("Hello world")


Now run that file, by typing

python simple.py

If that works for you, you've got a clue how to write a longer program.




-- 
DaveA