Entering function def generates inexplicable syntax error

[Mitch Berkson]

Interactively entering the following function definition causes a syntax error on line 5:

def g(b):
    if b:
        x = b + 10
        return x
    else:
        return b

Error:
   File "<ipython console>", line 5
     lse:
       ^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax

Python 2.5
IPython 0.10
Ubuntu Hardy

[Fernando Perez (fdo.perez)]

That's very odd. Unfortunately I can't reproduce it here. I don't have a Hardy box, but on a Karmic one with 0.10 and python 2.5 (2.5.4 to be exact), everything works as expected:

Python 2.5.4 (r254:67916, Jan 20 2010, 21:44:03)
Type "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.

IPython 0.10 -- An enhanced Interactive Python.
? -> Introduction and overview of IPython's features.
%quickref -> Quick reference.
help -> Python's own help system.
object? -> Details about 'object'. ?object also works, ?? prints more.

In [1]: def g(b):
   ...: if b:
   ...: x = b + 10
   ...: return x
   ...: else:
   ...: return b
   ...:
   ...:

I haven't the foggiest idea what could be causing this, and without a way to even reproduce it (I've never seen something like it before either), I'm not sure I can work on fixing it.

Is this on a stock Hardy install with the system python and ipython, or is it using a custom install?

[Mitch Berkson (mitch-bermita)]

This is on a stock AWS Hardy instance (alestic/ubuntu-8.04-hardy-base-20081222.manifest.xml) with the stock system python and ipython which I installed from the tar at http://ipython.scipy.org/dist/

[Fernando Perez (fdo.perez)]

On Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 5:52 AM, Mitch Berkson <email address hidden> wrote:
> This is on a stock AWS Hardy instance (alestic/ubuntu-8.04-hardy-
> base-20081222.manifest.xml) with the stock system python and ipython
> which I installed from the tar at http://ipython.scipy.org/dist/

OK, thanks for the info. I'm leaving it open for reference, though
I'm kind of lost as to what could be possibly causing it. Perhaps
someone will find it and suggest a pointer to the root cause.

I unfortunately don't have the time right now to build a virtual
environment to set up a Hardy test instance, sorry.

Cheers,

f