function is not defined error in Python

Question

I am trying to define a basic function in python but I always get the following error when I run a simple test program    gt  gt  gt  pyth test 1  2   Traceback  most recent call last     File   lt pyshell 2 gt    line 1  in  lt module gt      pyth test 1  2  NameError  name  pyth test  is not defined   Here is the code I am using for this function   def pyth test  x1  x2       print x1   x2   UPDATE  I have the script called pyth py open  and then I am typing in pyth test 1 2  in the interpreter when it gives the error    Thanks for the help   I apologize for the basic question  I ve never programmed before and am trying to learn Python as a hobby     import sys sys path append    Users clanc Documents Development    import test   printline          the function printline in the test py file   def printline         print  I am working

User · Answer

In python functions aren t accessible magically from everywhere  like they are in say  php   They have to be declared first  So this will work   def pyth test  x1  x2       print x1   x2  pyth test 1  2    But this won t   pyth test 1  2   def pyth test  x1  x2       print x1   x2

User · Answer

It would help if you showed the code you are using for the simple test program  Put directly into the interpreter this seems to work        gt  gt  gt  def pyth test  x1  x2           print x1   x2       gt  gt  gt  pyth test 1  2  3  gt  gt  gt

User · Answer

Yes  but in what file is pyth test s definition declared in  Is it also located before it s called   Edit   To put it into perspective  create a file called test py with the following contents   def pyth test  x1  x2       print x1   x2  pyth test 1 2    Now run the following command   python test py   You should see the output you desire  Now if you are in an interactive session  it should go like this    gt  gt  gt  def pyth test  x1  x2           print x1   x2       gt  gt  gt  pyth test 1 2  3  gt  gt  gt     I hope this explains how the declaration works     To give you an idea of how the layout works  we ll create a few files  Create a new empty folder to keep things clean with the following   myfunction py  def pyth test  x1  x2       print x1   x2    program py     usr bin python    Our function is pulled in here from myfunction import pyth test  pyth test 1 2    Now if you run   python program py   It will print out 3  Now to explain what went wrong  let s modify our program this way     Python  Huh  where s pyth test    You say it s down there  but I haven t gotten there yet  pyth test 1 2     Our function is pulled in here from myfunction import pyth test   Now let s see what happens     python program py  Traceback  most recent call last     File  program py   line 3  in  lt module gt      pyth test 1 2  NameError  name  pyth test  is not defined   As noted  python cannot find the module for the reasons outlined above  For that reason  you should keep your declarations at top   Now then  if we run the interactive python session    gt  gt  gt  from myfunction import pyth test  gt  gt  gt  pyth test 1 2  3   The same process applies  Now  package importing isn t all that simple  so I recommend you look into how modules work with Python  I hope this helps and good luck with your learnings

User · Answer

It works for me    gt  gt  gt  def pyth test  x1  x2           print x1   x2      gt  gt  gt  pyth test 1 2  3   Make sure you define the function before you call it

User · Answer

if working with IDLE installed version of Python   gt  gt  gt def any a b          print a b       gt  gt  gt any 1 2  3

[python] function is not defined error in Python

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