Python 3.3.2 help

[Steven D'Aprano]

Hello David, and thanks for replying. More comments below.

D Moorcroft wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> We are using windows 7 and it is all pupils as they are more restricted
> than staff.
> 
> They are using the python 3.3.2 shell and trying to print from there

What you are describing does not sound like the sort of error the Python
shell will give. Are you able to copy and paste the student's exact input
and output, including the complete error message?

If not, can you take a screenshot and post that?

(As a general rule, we prefer text-based communication rather than pictures.
For all we know, there could be blind or other visually-impaired users on
this forum who can read text via a screen reader, but cannot contribute
when it is a screenshot. But if all else fails, a screenshot is better than
nothing.)

We would love to help you, but without further information we have no idea
what is going on. The more concrete information you can pass on to us, the
better.

Regards,


Steve




> 
> Thank you,
> 
> David Moorcroft
> ICT Operations Manager &
> Website Manager
> Turves Green Girls' School
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Steven D'Aprano" <steve+comp.lang.python at pearwood.info>
> To: python-list at python.org
> Sent: Wednesday, 10 September, 2014 1:15:49 PM
> Subject: Re: Python 3.3.2 help
> 
> Hello,
> 
> My response is below, interleaved with your comments.
> 
> D Moorcroft wrote:
> 
>>> Hi,
>>> 
>>> We are running Python 3.3.2 but pupils are unable to print as they
>>> cannot use the command prompt.
> 
> What operating system are you using? Windows, Linux, Mac? Something else?
> 
> Is it ALL pupils who are unable to print or just some of them?
> 
> Which command prompt are they using? Can you reproduce the failure to
> print? If so, please tell us the detailed steps you (and the pupils) go
> through. E.g. something like this:
> 
> "On Windows XP, choose Run from the Start Menu. Type cmd.exe and press
> Enter. When the terminal window opens, type print 'Hello World' and
> Enter."
> 
> It will help if you can tell us whether your pupils are using IDLE,
> IPython, or the default Python interactive interpreter.
> 
> If you can answer these questions, which should have a better chance of
> diagnosing the problem.
> 
> Further responses below.
> 
> 
>>> An error comes up saying printing failed (exit status Oxff).
> 
> Based on this, my guess is that your students are accidentally running the
> DOS "print" command at the DOS prompt, not Python at all. Perhaps they are
> forgetting to run the "python" command first to launch the Python
> interpreter, and are running directly in the DOS prompt?
> 
> You can check this by reading the command prompt. If it looks like three
> greater-than signs >>> then you are running in Python's default
> interpreter. If it looks something like this:
> 
> C:\Documents and Settings\user\>
> 
> or perhaps like this:
> 
> C:\>
> 
> then you are still inside the DOS command prompt.
> 
> Unfortunately, I am not very experienced with Windows, so I cannot tell
> you the right method to start Python. I would expect there to be a Start
> menu command, perhaps called "IDLE", or "Python", but I'm not sure.
> 
> 
>>> Is there any way that we can get users who can't see the command
>>> prompt to be able to print?
> 
> I'm not entirely sure I understand this question. Can you explain in more
> detail?
> 
> By the way, as you know there are two meanings of "print" in computing.
> There is printing to the screen, and printing to sheets of paper with an
> actual printer. Which are you intending?
> 
> 
> Regards,
> 
> 
> 

-- 
Steven