help me

[Andrew Dalke]

dataangel:
> Why don't you want to use exec? Just curious. That's the normal way to 
> get a string to python code as far as I know.

That's not the normal way.  Where did you get that idea?

 >>> exec raw_input("enter name: ")+' = 34'
enter name: import os; os.system("pwd && echo rm -rf /delete/any/file"); c
/Users/dalke/src
rm -rf /delete/any/file
 >>>

In other words, without full vetting of the input it's
a hugh security hole.

If you want to set a global variable (why??) then use
the globals() dictionary.

 >>> spam
Traceback (most recent call last):
   File "<stdin>", line 1, in ?
NameError: name 'spam' is not defined
 >>> globals()[raw_input("enter name: ")] = 34
enter name: spam
 >>> spam
34
 >>>

More than likely you should put the data into a
dictionary of its own.  Otherwise, what happens
if someone assigns to the variable 'raw_input'?

 >>> globals()[raw_input("enter name: ")] = 34
enter name: raw_input
 >>> globals()[raw_input("enter name: ")] = 34
Traceback (most recent call last):
   File "<stdin>", line 1, in ?
TypeError: 'int' object is not callable
 >>>

				Andrew
				dalke at dalkescientific.com