except clause not catching IndexError

[Ben Cartwright]

Derek Schuff wrote:
> I have some code like this:
>         for line in f:
>                 toks = line.split()
>                 try:
>                     if int(toks[2],16) == qaddrs[i]+0x1000 and toks[0] == "200": #producer
> write
>                         prod = int(toks[3], 16)
>                     elif int(toks[2],16) == qaddrs[i]+0x1002 and toks[0] == "200":
> #consumer write
>                         cons = int(toks[3], 16)
>                     else:
>                         continue
>                 except IndexError: #happens if theres a partial line at the end of file
>                     print "indexerror"
>                     break
>
> However, when I run it, it seems that I'm not catching the IndexError:
> Traceback (most recent call last):
>   File "/home/dschuff/bin/speeds.py", line 202, in ?
>     if int(toks[2],16) == qaddrs[i]+0x1000 and toks[0] == "200": #producer
> write
> IndexError: list index out of range
>
> If i change the except IndexError to except Exception, it will catch it (but
> i believe it's still an IndexError).
> this is python 2.3 on Debian sarge.
>
> any ideas?


Sounds like IndexError has been redefined somewhere, e.g.:
  IndexError = 'something entirely different'
  foo = []
  try:
      foo[42]
  except IndexError: # will not catch the real IndexError; we're
shadowing it
      pass

Try adding "print IndexError" right before your trouble spot, and see
if it outputs "exceptions.IndexError".

--Ben