Python SyntaxError when using end argument with print function

Question

I don't know why i get the error because i have done exactly as the book says

>>> os.getcwd()
'C:\\Users\\expoperialed\\Desktop\\Pyt…'
>>> data = open('sketch.txt')
>>> print(data.readline(),end="")
SyntaxError: invalid syntax

Answer 1

Or, to use the print function like you want in Python 2:

>>> from __future__ import print_function

That will need to be at the top of your Python program though because of the way the __future__ module works.

Answer 2

I think your problem is that you are on Python 2.x and are using Python 3.x's syntax. In Python 3.x, print is a built-in and can be used like that. However, in 2.x, it is a keyword and cannot. If you are on 2.x, do this:

print data.readline(),

One way to see which version of Python you are using is this:

import sys
if sys.version_info.major == 2:
    # We are running 2.x
elif sys.version_info.major == 3:
    # We are running 3.x

or, from the terminal:

$ python --version

The best way to fix this problem would probably be to upgrade to Python 3.x. However, if you can't, then you might want to look at the __future__ module. It can make it so that you can use Python 3.x's print function in 2.x:

>>> from __future__ import print_function
>>> print("yes!")
yes!
>>> print("a", "b", sep=",")
a,b
>>>

Answer 3

It looks like you're running the wrong python version. There's currently 2 versions of Python running around, 2 and 3. In Python 2, print is a statement so you should change your code too

 print data.readline(), # The trailing comma to stop the newline

while in 3 it's a function and should be used how your book shows.

It looks like your book is in Python 3 so you should upgrade your python (For a beginner there's no reason not to use Python 3)