Noob needs help on very simple question

[jackinoob]

Hi All,

Apologies in advance, this question is very rudimentary, but I can't seem to get it right.

I am running python within cygwin. I have a python script called test.py, and inside it a function defined simply as

def square(x):
return x*x
print "hello world"

My question is how do I run this script/call the function inside it?

python test.py does not do anything, I read that something like this might work:

python test.py "square(2)"

but this does not work either. Please help! Thank you in advance.

[elcron]

Hi All,

Apologies in advance, this question is very rudimentary, but I can't seem to get it right.

I am running python within cygwin. I have a python script called test.py, and inside it a function defined simply as

def square(x):
    return x*x
    print "hello world"
 

My question is how do I run this script/call the function inside it?

python test.py does not do anything, I read that something like this might work:

python test.py "square(2)"

but this does not work either. Please help! Thank you in advance.

Functions need to be called on to run. also no code can go after the return statement.

def square(x):
    n = x*x
    print "hello world"
    return n
 
square(2)
 

Or try removing the quotes and something like this, python test.py square(2), should work

[jackinoob]

Thanks,

So when I make the function call from within the script, it works fine. But I can't seem to use the command line to accomplish this. How can one send parameters to a python function in test.py from the command line?
I am using cygwin so I'm wondering if it's because of that.

I have tried every combination:

python test.py square(3) produces the error:

bash: syntax error near unexpected token `('

python test.py "square(3)" does nothing

python test.py square 3 does nothing

python test.py "square 3" does nothing


Any ideas would be appreciated!

[elcron]

Django seems to accomplish this although it may do it this way.

import sys
 
def sayHello(name):
    print "Hello, %s!"%name
 
def main():
    if len(sys.argv) >= 2:
        if sys.argv[1] == "sayHello" and len(sys.argv) == 3:
            sayHello(sys.argv[2])
 
main()
 
# output in command prompt
python test.py sayHello elcron
Hello, elcron!
 

[bvdet]

# test.py
 
def square(x):
    return x*x
 
if __name__ == '__main__':
    import sys
    print square(int(sys.argv[1]))

At the command prompt:

>>>C:\Python23>python test.py 16
256

C:\Python23>

[raubana]

Did you remember to tab the parts of the command so it knows what you're talking about?

like this:

def squared(x):
      return x*x
 

...instead of...

def squared(x):
return x*x
 

Just in case you might of missed that. That is what you ment, right?