NameError: name '[string]' is not defined

Question

When testing my program, I keep getting this error:

1. Encrypt a file
2. Decrypt a file
----> 1
Enter the filename you'd like to encrypt: test
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "./encrypt.py", line 71, in <module>
    Main()
  File "./encrypt.py", line 58, in Main
    filename = input("Enter the filename you'd like to encrypt: ")
  File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
NameError: name 'test' is not defined

And here is my code for the Main() function:

def Main():
        print("1. Encrypt a file")
        print("2. Decrypt a file")
        choice = str(input("----> "))
        if choice == '1':
                filename = input("Enter the filename you'd like to encrypt: ")
                password = input("Enter a password used for the encryption tool: ")
                encrypt(getKey(password), filename)
                print("File has been encrypted.")
        elif choice == '2':
                filename = input("Enter the filename you'd like to decrypt: ")
                password = input("Enter the password used for the encryption of this file: ")
                decrypt(getKey(password), filename)
                print("File has been decrypted. Note that if the password used in the encryption does " \
            + "not match the password you entered in, the file will remain encrypted.")
        else:
                print("Invalid option. Closing the program...")

I am using the simple input() method to get my data ('test', for example), and it keeps telling me whatever information I enter in at runtime, the name of what I just entered is not defined. I don't see any formatting errors, syntax errors, etc.

I know that looks like a weird dupe but I strongly suspect you are using `input` instead of `raw_input` on Python 2 and the top answer there is the clearest explanation I can find. — Two-Bit Alchemist, Aug 09 '16 at 18:05

score 3 · Answer 1 · answered Aug 09 '16 at 18:05

You're going to want to use raw_input() instead of input(). input tries to run the expression it gets as a Python expression, whereas raw_input returns a string. This is in Python 2.x; in 3.x raw_input doesn't exist.

When you get the NameError, it's trying to run your input as an expression, but test doesn't exist.

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 09 '16 at 18:25

1

It turns out my linux distro has both python 2.7.12 and python 3.5.2. Apparently the system defaults to python 2.7.12 instead of the newer version, so I fixed it by changing:

#!/usr/bin/python

to:

#!/usr/bin/python3

answered Aug 09 '16 at 18:25

CodyT96

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score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 09 '16 at 18:05

0

it keeps telling me whatever information I enter in at runtime, the name of what I just entered is not defined. I don't see any formatting errors, syntax errors, etc.

You are probably using Python 2.x. You should use: raw_input(..) instead of input(..)

answered Aug 09 '16 at 18:05

UltraInstinct

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score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Aug 09 '16 at 18:06

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The input function treats whatever you input as a python expression. What you're looking for is the raw_input function which treats your input as a string. Switch all your inputs for raw_inputs and you should be fine.

answered Aug 09 '16 at 18:06

Fabio

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NameError: name '[string]' is not defined

4 Answers4