comments and the continuation prompt

[Terry Reedy]

On 6/25/2017 11:32 PM, Ben Finney wrote:
> Steve D'Aprano <steve+python at pearwood.info> writes:
> 
>> On Mon, 26 Jun 2017 08:44 am, Stefan Ram wrote:
>>
>>>    According to The Python Language Reference Release 3.6.0, 2.1.3
>>>    Comments, »A comment signifies the end of the logical line unless
>>>    the implicit line joining rules are invoked.«.
>>>
>>>    So, why do I get a continuation prompt when I enter a comment?

In IDLE, you don't.

 >>> #
 >>> #sjflksj
 >>>

Maybe this was once true for the interactive interpreter and changed. 
Or maybe this is buglet in IDLE in terms of imitating the console 
interpreter.  I have no idea.

>> Why not? As far as the interactive interpreter is concerned, you
>> haven't yet entered a statement.
> 
> And yet, according to the Language Reference, the logical line has ended
> and another begun.
> 
> So I think the question is worth exploring: Why does the interactive
> prompt imply the logical line is continuing, when the Language Reference
> would say otherwise?
> 
> Maybe the answer is “the continuation prompt does not prompt for the
> continuation of a logical line, but the continuation of <something
> else>”.
> 
> What exactly goes in the “<something else>” placeholder; that is,
> exactly what should the user understand by that transition from one
> prompt to a different one?

Look into the behavior of compile('code', 'fake', 'single').


-- 
Terry Jan Reedy