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classification
Title: python -c: Line causing exception not shown for exceptions other than SyntaxErrors
Type: enhancement Stage:
Components: Interpreter Core Versions: Python 3.11
process
Status: open Resolution:
Dependencies: Superseder:
Assigned To: Nosy List: Arfrever, benjamin.peterson, pitrou, serhiy.storchaka, terry.reedy, vstinner
Priority: normal Keywords:

Created on 2014-12-12 01:44 by Arfrever, last changed 2022-04-11 14:58 by admin.

Messages (7)
msg232506 - (view) Author: Arfrever Frehtes Taifersar Arahesis (Arfrever) * (Python triager) Date: 2014-12-12 01:44
When 'python -c ${command}' is used and exception other than SyntaxError occurs, then line causing exception is not shown.

Problem seen in output of last 2 commands below:

$ cat /tmp/test1
1 /
$ cat /tmp/test2
1 / 0
$ cat /tmp/test3
a
$ python3.5 /tmp/test1
  File "/tmp/test1", line 1
    1 /
      ^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax
$ python3.5 /tmp/test2
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/tmp/test2", line 1, in <module>
    1 / 0
ZeroDivisionError: division by zero
$ python3.5 /tmp/test3
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/tmp/test3", line 1, in <module>
    a
NameError: name 'a' is not defined
$ python3.5 -c '1 /'
  File "<string>", line 1
    1 /
      ^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax
$ python3.5 -c '1 / 0'
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
ZeroDivisionError: division by zero
$ python3.5 -c 'a'
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
NameError: name 'a' is not defined
msg232537 - (view) Author: STINNER Victor (vstinner) * (Python committer) Date: 2014-12-12 12:28
SyntaxError exceptions have a text attribute which contains the line where the error occurred. It's really a special case. For other exceptions, Python only knows that the error occurred in the file called "<string>".

Being able to display the line for any exception requires a complex development. I'm not interested to implement it, I don't think that it's very useful (compared to the time needed to develop it).
msg232578 - (view) Author: Arfrever Frehtes Taifersar Arahesis (Arfrever) * (Python triager) Date: 2014-12-12 22:15
It should not be more complex to read a line from a command line argument than to read a line from a regular file.
msg232582 - (view) Author: Terry J. Reedy (terry.reedy) * (Python committer) Date: 2014-12-13 01:20
Code entered with -c seems to be treated the same as code entered at the >>> prompt of the interactive interpreter.

>>> 1/0
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
ZeroDivisionError: division by zero

In both cases, the offending code is right there to be seen, so I can understand reluctance to echo it.  For SyntaxErrors (and only them) echoing the code is needed to have something to point to.

Idle's Shell does what you want.
>>> 1/0
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<pyshell#12>", line 1, in <module>
    1/0
ZeroDivisionError: division by zero

Shell can do this because it has easy, platform-independent access to the tkinter Text widget storing and displaying previously entered code.  I presume accessing a system-dependent console history buffer is much harder.

Where the difference really matters is when the error is in previously defined objects.

>>> def f():
...   return a

>>> f()
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
  File "<stdin>", line 2, in f
NameError: name 'a' is not defined

versus (Shell)

>>> def f():
	return a

>>> f()
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<pyshell#16>", line 1, in <module>
    f()
  File "<pyshell#15>", line 2, in f
    return a
NameError: name 'a' is not defined
msg232583 - (view) Author: Arfrever Frehtes Taifersar Arahesis (Arfrever) * (Python triager) Date: 2014-12-13 01:32
Argument of -c option can have multiple lines, while only 1 line can be directly entered in interactive interpreter.

python -c $'line1\nline2\nline3\nline4\n...'
msg232584 - (view) Author: Terry J. Reedy (terry.reedy) * (Python committer) Date: 2014-12-13 02:15
One can paste multiple lines, comprising multiple statements, into the console interprer.  (Shell only recognizes a single pasted statement.)  
I agree, however, that it seems that Python could keep the split version of the input line for the purpose of tracebacks.  I just tried

C:\Users\Terry>python -c "import sys; print(sys.argv)"
['-c']

I expected to see to see a list of 3 strings, not 1.
msg232585 - (view) Author: Arfrever Frehtes Taifersar Arahesis (Arfrever) * (Python triager) Date: 2014-12-13 02:22
Arguments after argument of -c option are included in sys.argv:

$ python -c "import sys; print(sys.argv)" a b
['-c', 'a', 'b']
History
Date User Action Args
2022-04-11 14:58:11adminsetgithub: 67224
2021-06-15 16:58:00iritkatrielsettype: enhancement
versions: + Python 3.11, - Python 3.5
2014-12-13 02:22:17Arfreversetmessages: + msg232585
2014-12-13 02:15:23terry.reedysetmessages: + msg232584
2014-12-13 01:32:49Arfreversetmessages: + msg232583
2014-12-13 01:20:21terry.reedysetnosy: + terry.reedy
messages: + msg232582
2014-12-12 22:15:20Arfreversetmessages: + msg232578
2014-12-12 12:28:40vstinnersetnosy: + vstinner
messages: + msg232537
2014-12-12 12:22:56vstinnersettitle: -c: Line causing exception not shown for exceptions other than SyntaxErrors -> python -c: Line causing exception not shown for exceptions other than SyntaxErrors
2014-12-12 01:44:07Arfrevercreate