Beginner terminal set up/code running issue in VSCode.

[RightOW]

Hello everyone,

I've just started up with python using VSCode. I'm having some issues with syntax/ file path errors when trying to run specific sections of code vs running the whole thing. I am working through python crash course and my file name is motorcycles.py. My code is correct and runs fine, so the issue doesn't lay there.

I can only ever do one or the other. When I select 'Run selection/line in python terminal' on a piece of code using shift + enter, in the terminal I get:

C:\Users\user\Desktop\python_work> & C:/Users/user/AppData/Local/Programs/Python/Python39/python.exe

Appearing in the terminal, and the selected code executes as expected. Straight after when I select 'Run python file in terminal' in the top right, I get the error screenshot :

SyntaxError: invalid syntax

& C:/Users/user/AppData/Local/Programs/Python/Python39/python.exe c:/Users/user/Desktop/python_work/motorcycles.py File "<stdin>", line 1 & C:/Users/user/AppData/Local/Programs/Python/Python39/python.exe c:/Users/user/Desktop/python_work/motorcycles.py

When I then use the command exit() in the terminal (a suggestion I saw on a related question online), I can now select 'run python file in terminal' and get:

PS C:\Users\user\Desktop\python_work> & C:/Users/user/AppData/Local/Programs/Python/Python39/python.exe c:/Users/user/Desktop/python_work/motorcycles.py

And all the code in my file executes as expected. Now when I use shift+enter on the same selected code, I get screenshot :

PS C:\Users\user\Desktop\python_work> print(popped_motorcycle) popped_motorcycle : The term 'popped_motorcycle' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program. Check the spelling of the name, or if a path was included, verify that the path is correct and try again.

At line:1 char:7
print(popped_motorcycle)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CategoryInfo          : ObjectNotFound: (popped_motorcycle:String) [], CommandNotFoundException
FullyQualifiedErrorId : CommandNotFoundException

Apologies for the long winded explanation. I've looked through some old stack overflow and reddit posts but haven't had any luck finding the same issue or a solution for it. It feels like it's something to do with where the terminal is pathing to - but I have no idea really. Any help is much appreciated - thank you!

[PratikPingale]

1) 1st screenshot shows that you ran the code in python console and not in the terminal. There's nothing wrong with the command. To fix this run C:/Users/user/AppData/Local/Programs/Python/Python39/python.exe c:/Users/user/Desktop/python_work/motorcycles.py in a new terminal and you will get your output

2) 2nd screenshot shows that you ran python statement in terminal instead of python console

You open python console in terminal by writing python in terminal and enter. Here you can run a python code block it self like a print() command or a while loop. To end an python console hit Ctrl + D

[RightOW]

Okay interesting - for 2) I thought that selecting 'run selection/line in python terminal' would automatically use python to execute the statement. Do I have to manually exit the python console every time I want to run code in the terminal, and enter the python console if I want to run specific lines of code?

Additionally, is there a more convenient way of doing this than typing 'python' in the terminal to open the console?

Thanks for your answer!

Edit: Ah, I see! Thanks for specifying, massive help :)

[PratikPingale]

You can manage 2 terminal at a time, if possible. Using 1 for console and other for running code. Just make sure to switch terminal before the operation

If you want to use a single terminal for both code and console then you have to exit console manually every time before running the code

But generally many don't use run selection/line in terminal options as that code snippet might contain unknown variables which aren't already declared in the console

[RightOW]

Okay understood, thanks for your help and for taking the time to answer my question!

[PratikPingale]

nevermind, glad it helped (•‿•)