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I am learning Python by running exercises from "Programming Python", Mark Lutz on both Windows and Mac. While exercises run flawlessly on Windows, sometimes they do not run on Mac.
In particular, in Chapter 1, Step 2: Storing Records Persistently there is a script called make_db_file.py. The following function loadDbase (called by dump_db_file_test.py-see attached) is not working at all on Mac, but working fine of Windows. 
The code breaks on the line: key = input(). 
The Traceback message is as follows:
Traceback (most recent call last):
 File "dump_db_file_test.py", line 2, in <module>
 db = loadDbase()
 File "/Users/DMITRY/PythonScripts/make_db_file_test.py", line 22, in loadDbase
 key = input()
 File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
NameError: name 'bob' is not defined
Where 'bob' is the first line of the text file "people-file" that make_db_file_test.py refers.
All related files attached in BugReport.zip
Best regards
Dmitry

You are certainly using Python 2 with code designed for Python 3...
Can you check?

The test case you've provide is working as expected but the code doesn't make a lot of sense as provided. The function loadDbase sets sys.stdin to a disk file but never sets it back again. If you run this in an interactive interpreter on any Unix-like system and call that function, it will leave sys.stdin still connected to the disk file which will give unexpected results. I don't have a copy of the book so I don't know how the author recommends to run things but it won't work as it stands (also, the function loadDbase is incomplete compared with the book's example files). You can remove the immediate problem by adding the following line just before the "return db" at the end of loadDbase:
 sys.stdin = sys.__stdin__
That will restore the original value of sys.stdin.
You may want to ask questions like this on either the tutor mailing list or comp.lang.python.
http://www.python.org/community/lists/ 
http://docs.python.org/library/sys.html#sys.__stdin__ 

Hello Ned
Thank you very much for your time and for your advice where to post questions 
like mine.
I apologise for my mistake: instead of input() there was raw_input() function in 
the book, which works as expected on all platforms.
Best regards
Dmitry
----- Original Message ----
From: Ned Deily <report@bugs.python.org>
To: dgorbachev@yahoo.com
Sent: Sun, July 3, 2011 4:18:35 PM
Subject: [issue12482] input() not working correctly on Mac OS X
Ned Deily <nad@acm.org> added the comment:
The test case you've provide is working as expected but the code doesn't make a 
lot of sense as provided. The function loadDbase sets sys.stdin to a disk file 
but never sets it back again. If you run this in an interactive interpreter on 
any Unix-like system and call that function, it will leave sys.stdin still 
connected to the disk file which will give unexpected results. I don't have a 
copy of the book so I don't know how the author recommends to run things but it 
won't work as it stands (also, the function loadDbase is incomplete compared 
with the book's example files). You can remove the immediate problem by adding 
the following line just before the "return db" at the end of loadDbase:
  sys.stdin = sys.__stdin__
That will restore the original value of sys.stdin.
You may want to ask questions like this on either the tutor mailing list or 
comp.lang.python.
http://www.python.org/community/lists/ 
http://docs.python.org/library/sys.html#sys.__stdin__
----------
assignee: ronaldoussoren -> 
components: -Macintosh
nosy: +ned.deily
resolution: -> invalid
stage: -> committed/rejected
status: open -> closed
_______________________________________
Python tracker <report@bugs.python.org>
<http://bugs.python.org/issue12482>
_______________________________________

Hi Amaury,
Thank you very much for your email. 
Actually what happedded is that I mistakenly used input() function in place of 
raw_input() as it is in the book.
raw_input correctly inputs bob and 'bob', while input() inputs correctly 'bob' 
only and complains about bob. 
I will definitely check the usage of input() with bob in Python 3 when I install 
it.
Best regards
Dmitry
----- Original Message ----
From: Amaury Forgeot d'Arc <report@bugs.python.org>
To: dgorbachev@yahoo.com
Sent: Sun, July 3, 2011 4:08:02 PM
Subject: [issue12482] input() not working correctly on Mac OS X
Amaury Forgeot d'Arc <amauryfa@gmail.com> added the comment:
You are certainly using Python 2 with code designed for Python 3...
Can you check?
----------
nosy: +amaury.forgeotdarc
_______________________________________
Python tracker <report@bugs.python.org>
<http://bugs.python.org/issue12482>
_______________________________________