Python bug - or my stupidity - EOL while scanning string literal

python string syntax-error eol
Bryan Hunt picture Bryan Hunt · Jul 4, 2012 · Viewed 8.7k times · Source

I cannot see a significant difference between the two following lines.

Yet the first parses, and the latter, does not.

In [5]: n=""" \\"Axis of Awesome\\" """

In [6]: n="""\\"Axis of Awesome\\""""
  File "<ipython-input-6-d691e511a27b>", line 1
    n="""\\"Axis of Awesome\\""""
                                ^
SyntaxError: EOL while scanning string literal

Is this a Python bug/feature/oddity, or have I missing something fundamental?

Answer

Fred Foo picture Fred Foo · Jul 4, 2012

The last four quote marks in

"""\\"Axis of Awesome\\""""

are parsed as """, i.e. end of string, followed by ", i.e. start of a new string literal. This new literal is never completed, though. Simple example:

>>> """foo""""bar"
'foobar'
>>> """foo""" "bar"
'foobar'

If you want to avoid this problem, then replace """ with r' or escape the ":

>>> """\\"Axis of Awesome\\\""""
'\\"Axis of Awesome\\"'
>>> r'\"Axis of Awesome\"'
'\\"Axis of Awesome\\"'

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