Python - Indentation error while using IDLE and if - else block, works fine on command line [duplicate]

Question

I get the following indentation error

>>> number = 35
>>> if number == 35:
        print 'true'
    else:

  File "<pyshell#130>", line 3
    else:

^
IndentationError: unindent does not match any outer indentation level
>>>

This happens only on IDLE and not on command line. I am using Python 2.6.4 on Windows XP. I have searched online, but not been able to find any answer as to why I get this error. Thankful for any help.

And to add - The code may not look properly indented when copied and pasted. But it was properly indented on the IDLE interface.

It's clearly a bug in IDLE in Windows, OP - I have a file that has no dedents, no tabs, all indents EXACTLY right (4 spaces), and I get this error sporadically. File runs precisely as expected on Wing and on the command line: similarly , IDLE often screws up File->Open and arbitrarily replicates parts of the file. Don't use IDLE, is my basic point: it's the Windows 8 of quasi-IDEs. — GT.
– GT., Commented Oct 17, 2014 at 3:04

avasal · Accepted Answer · 2012-02-29 11:24:08Z

2

>>> number = 35
>>> if number == 35:
...     print 'true'
... else:
...     print 'false'
... 
true
>>>

indent your code properly and manually

answered Feb 29, 2012 at 11:24

avasal

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Comments

citxx · Accepted Answer · 2012-02-29 11:23:55Z

1

Any block of code (started just after :) should have indent at least one space (or tab) more, than the parent one. In your example:

if number == 35:
    print 'true'
else:
    ...

But not:

if number == 35:
print 'true'
else:
...

answered Feb 29, 2012 at 11:23

citxx

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Comments

rhoitjadhav · Accepted Answer · 2019-11-01 13:41:12Z

1

Might not the way you wanted but it is clearly simple and effective:

Instead of this:

>>> number = 35
>>> if number == 35:
    print 'true'
else:

You can always check conditions on python idle without using if keyword such as:

>>> number = 35
>>> number == 35
True

answered Nov 1, 2019 at 13:41

rhoitjadhav

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Comments

histrio · Accepted Answer · 2012-02-29 11:22:30Z

0

You should define indent manually

>>> number = 35
>>> if number == 35:
...     print 'true'
... else:
...     pass
... 
true

answered Feb 29, 2012 at 11:22

histrio

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Comments

user3483203 · Accepted Answer · 2018-05-10 20:38:37Z

0

For me this worked:

>>> if number == 35:
....print 'true'
else:
....print 'false'

true

Looks like the '>>> ' is not counted in indentation. I am using 2.7.13

edited May 10, 2018 at 20:38

user3483203

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answered May 10, 2018 at 17:56

AJain

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Comments

flaxel · Accepted Answer · 2021-01-13 09:16:23Z

0

Correct, don't indent the else statement. I am using version 3.9

if number == 35:
    print("true")
else:
    print("false")

edited Jan 13, 2021 at 9:16

flaxel

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answered Jan 13, 2021 at 8:20

Lwando

1

Comments

Old Sub Sailor · Accepted Answer · 2021-09-13 23:21:29Z

0

I am sorry, but the answer of Jan 13 else does look indented, based on how my version of IDLE3 looks with version 3.9.7. I was having all sorts of problems until I came here and finally got put on the right track. Manual indenting/non-indenting while letting IDLE3 drop indent otherwise is the key for me anyway. This is how I did things:

edited Sep 13, 2021 at 23:21

answered Sep 13, 2021 at 23:10

Old Sub Sailor

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