SyntaxError: invalid syntax in print 'string1 is: ', string1

Question

Possible Duplicate:
SyntaxError near “print”?

I am a first time user of python. I just got Python 3.3 installed on my computer, got the PATH updated and attempted to run my first python program that I just copied and pasted from a tutorial into a new file. I get an error that reads:

File "C:\Users\bmahnke\Desktop\python.py", line 23
      print 'string1 is: ', string1

SyntaxError: invalid syntax

I am not sure what the problem is because I got it from a tutorial site and I'm not certain, but almost, that they wouldn't put a file on there that doesn't compile. So I was wondering what I am doing wrong

Here is the python code that I am using:

#! C:\Python33\python.exe

string1 = 'In this class,'
string2 = 'I am learning to program in'
string3 = 'PYTHON.'

print 'string1 is: ', string1
print 'string2 is: ', string2
print 'string3 is: ', string3
print 'Put them altogether and you get:'
print string1, string2, string3
print string1 + string2 + string3

Any help is appreciated, thanks.

Don't you need to have () around the print statement in python 3? — BenDundee, Jan 28 '13 at 15:19
And of [Python Interactive Shell - SyntaxError with print](http://stackoverflow.com/q/4531083) (better dupe target). — Martijn Pieters, Jan 28 '13 at 15:20

score 7 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 28 '13 at 15:19

7

In Python 3.3, print() is a function (in Python 2.x, it was a statement). So the correct syntax is now:

print('string1 is: ', string1)

There is a tool called 2to3.py which converts Python 2 to 3.

answered Jan 28 '13 at 15:19

Aaron Digulla

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+1 for mentioning `2to3` – mgilson Jan 28 '13 at 15:20
@BrettMahnke: I advise you to use a different tutorial that focuses on Python 3. Or perhaps install Python 2. – Steven Rumbalski Jan 28 '13 at 15:25

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 28 '13 at 15:20

1

The problem is that in Python 3 print is not a statement, but a normal function. Just put ( and ) around the arguments to the print function and you should be fine.

answered Jan 28 '13 at 15:20

Michael Wild

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score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Jan 28 '13 at 15:19

0

This code is for Python 2.x. Print statements in Python 3.x are different as per this section from the Python documentation:

answered Jan 28 '13 at 15:19

Talvalin

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score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Jan 28 '13 at 15:19

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In python3, print is a function:

print('string1 is: ', string1)

etc

answered Jan 28 '13 at 15:19

Pavel Anossov

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SyntaxError: invalid syntax in print 'string1 is: ', string1

4 Answers4