3 ms·

Since 'cat > foo.py' erases foo.py, you are obviously lying about that error message.

bayareaguy 19y ago
Hmm... I guess that makes me a liar too. powerbook.local 104> cat > foo.py # -*- coding: <utf-8> -*- def ô(): return "ô" powerbook.local 105> python foo.py File "foo.py", line 2 SyntaxError: Non-ASCII character '\xc3' in file foo.py on line 2, but no encoding declared; see http://www.python.org/peps/pep-0263.html for details powerbook.local 106> Now if you actually go look at the web page in the error message, you should notice that the encoding doesn't include the < >. But even when the encoding is set properly python still complains: powerbook.local 106> cat > foo.py # -*- coding: utf-8 -*- def ô(): return "ô" powerbook.local 107> python foo.py File "foo.py", line 2 def ô(): ^ SyntaxError: invalid syntax powerbook.local 108>
- anewaccountname 19y ago
  Are you sure you don't mean 'cat foo.py' or maybe 'cat - < foo.py'?
  - bayareaguy 19y ago
    Yes, I'm sure. cat > foo.py copies standard input into the file foo.py. The rest of the characters you're seeing in the message are what I typed in. The only character you don't see is the Ctrl-D I type to indicate EOF. This is a quick and easy way of creating foo.py without using an editor.
    - anewaccountname 19y ago
      Ah, now I see.
bootload 19y ago
"... Since 'cat > foo.py' erases foo.py, you are obviously lying about that error message. ..." True this syntax erases the file. But all I did was cut+paste the example from the original source & added the source code encoding on posting. I knew the example code missed the encoding and I checked the example text for extra unicode characters (another possible source of errors) as I saved to the file & checked with cat. So I tried the example on the CLI before I posted and overlooked the redirection. It's not worth lying, way too many sharp people to pick you up. Just a simple display mistake. Btw, the inference I'm lying. Does that also apply to the original author as well? "... Some time later ..." Doing a bit of digging. It appears the 'cat > foo.py' works like this ... "... Redirection of output causes the file whose name results from the expansion of word to be opened for writing on file descriptor n , or the standard output (file descriptor 1) if n is not specified. If the file does not exist it is created; if it does exist it is truncated to zero size. ..." [0] So my theory is you have tried this with a full file & it has erased itself. Thanks for the pick-up though. It is a fine distinction and something I've not come across before. We are both right but at different times. [0] http://www.wlug.org.nz/bash%281%29Part5 http://www.wlug.org.nz/bash%281%29Part5

Hmm... I guess that makes me a liar too. powerbook.local 104> cat > foo.py # -*- coding: <utf-8> -*- def ô(): return "ô" powerbook.local 105> python foo.py File "foo.py", line 2 SyntaxError: Non-ASCII character '\xc3' in file foo.py on line 2, but no encoding declared; see http://www.python.org/peps/pep-0263.html for details powerbook.local 106> Now if you actually go look at the web page in the error message, you should notice that the encoding doesn't include the < >. But even when the encoding is set properly python still complains: powerbook.local 106> cat > foo.py # -*- coding: utf-8 -*- def ô(): return "ô" powerbook.local 107> python foo.py File "foo.py", line 2 def ô(): ^ SyntaxError: invalid syntax powerbook.local 108>

anewaccountname 19y ago
Are you sure you don't mean 'cat foo.py' or maybe 'cat - < foo.py'?
- bayareaguy 19y ago
  Yes, I'm sure. cat > foo.py copies standard input into the file foo.py. The rest of the characters you're seeing in the message are what I typed in. The only character you don't see is the Ctrl-D I type to indicate EOF. This is a quick and easy way of creating foo.py without using an editor.
  - anewaccountname 19y ago
    Ah, now I see.

bootload 19y ago

"... Since 'cat > foo.py' erases foo.py, you are obviously lying about that error message. ..." True this syntax erases the file. But all I did was cut+paste the example from the original source & added the source code encoding on posting. I knew the example code missed the encoding and I checked the example text for extra unicode characters (another possible source of errors) as I saved to the file & checked with cat. So I tried the example on the CLI before I posted and overlooked the redirection. It's not worth lying, way too many sharp people to pick you up. Just a simple display mistake. Btw, the inference I'm lying. Does that also apply to the original author as well? "... Some time later ..." Doing a bit of digging. It appears the 'cat > foo.py' works like this ... "... Redirection of output causes the file whose name results from the expansion of word to be opened for writing on file descriptor n , or the standard output (file descriptor 1) if n is not specified. If the file does not exist it is created; if it does exist it is truncated to zero size. ..." [0] So my theory is you have tried this with a full file & it has erased itself. Thanks for the pick-up though. It is a fine distinction and something I've not come across before. We are both right but at different times. [0] http://www.wlug.org.nz/bash%281%29Part5 http://www.wlug.org.nz/bash%281%29Part5