Can't figure out if/else syntax in Python

Question

I've decided to learn how to program, and because it's what everyone recommended first, I've started working out Python. I've learned what I think are the basics, recently figuring out if/else statements. I thought as a little challenge I might try to apply most the things I've learned and whip up a little program that did something. So I'm trying to make a script that can read a file or find if a specific word is in a file, giving the user a choice. Here's the code I wrote, and isn't working.

print "Hello, would you like to read a file or find  whether or not some text is in a file?"
choice = raw_input("Type 'read' or 'find' here --> ")

if choice == "read":
    readname = raw_input("Type the filename of the file you want to read here -->"
    print open(readname).read()
elif choice == "find":
    word = raw_input("Type the word you want to find here --> ")
    findname = raw_input("Type the filename of the file you want to search here --> ")
    if word in open(findname).read():
        print "The word %r IS in the file %r" % (word, filename)
    else:
        print "The word %r IS NOT in the file %r" % (word, filename)
else:
    print "Sorry,  don't understand that."

I'm a total scrub and you could probably tell that by looking at the code, but anyway help would be appreciated. Firstly, Python is giving me a syntax error right on print. It doesn't give me the error when I mark out the variable line above it, so I suppose there's a problem there, but I can't find anything in the Internet. Also, if I mark out the variable line like I said but type "find" when I run it (running the elif portion) I get an error saying that findname isn't defined, but I can't find why it wouldn't? Anyway, I'm sure it's blatantly obvious but hey, I'm learning, and I'd love if any of you would tell me why this code sucks :)

Answer 1

In addition to the missing parentheses noted by the other answer, you also have a problem here:

findname = raw_input("Type the filename of the file you want to search here --> ")
if word in open(findname).read():
    print "The word %r IS in the file %r" % (word, filename)
else:
    print "The word %r IS NOT in the file %r" % (word, filename)

That is, you define findname but later try to use filename, which hasn't been defined.

I also have a couple suggestions you might want to look into:

• Use a tool like flake8 to give you suggestions regarding your code (this will try to help you ensure your code complies with PEP8, the Python coding style guideline. Though it won't catch every error in your code.)
• Try using an IDE for real-time feedback on your code. There are many available; I personally prefer PyCharm.

Here's an example of flake8's output:

$ flake8 orig.py
orig.py:1:80: E501 line too long (92 > 79 characters)
orig.py:5:80: E501 line too long (82 > 79 characters)
orig.py:6:10: E901 SyntaxError: invalid syntax
orig.py:9:80: E501 line too long (86 > 79 characters)
orig.py:16:1: W391 blank line at end of file
orig.py:17:1: E901 TokenError: EOF in multi-line statement

Answer 2

You have a missing parantheses on the line above the print line -

readname = raw_input("Type the filename of the file you want to read here -->"
                                                                              ^ 
                                                            Parantheses missing

It should be -

readname = raw_input("Type the filename of the file you want to read here -->")

Answer 3

You have not inserted closing bracket at this line:

    readname = raw_input("Type the filename of the file you want to read here -->"

replace this by :

    readname = raw_input("Type the filename of the file you want to read here -->"

and use print("") instead of print

   print("Your message here")