FAQ: Learn Python: Syntax - Multi-line Strings

#1

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This community-built FAQ covers the “Multi-line Strings” exercise from the lesson “Learn Python: Syntax”.

Paths and Courses
This exercise can be found in the following Codecademy content:

Computer Science
Data Science

FAQs on the exercise Multi-line Strings

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#2

Is there any way to prevent the closing apostrophes from populating when opening the multi-line string?

3 Likes
#3

I’m running into a problem. I keep trying to put in “”", but it does not allow me to. I can only put in “” or “”"""". There is a SyntaxError when I run either of these.

Assign the string here

to_you = ‘’’’’’
Stranger, if you passing
meet me and desire to
speak to me, why
should you not speak to me?
An why should I not speak
to you?’’’’’’
print(to_you)

#4

I’m not sure why would you like to do that? It saves you time from writing them at the end.

#5

The problem you have is with these:
’’’’’’
The look different from the normal ones:
“”"

Here’s the difference in CodeAcademy:

image
image.png857×611 54.7 KB

Please copy this and try it at your end:

# Assign the string here
to_you = """Stranger, if you passing meet me and desire to speak to me, why
  should you not speak to me?
And why should I not speak to you?"""
print(to_you)

It should work.

#6

to_you = “”“Stranger, if you passing meet me and desire to speak to me, why
should you not speak to me?
and why should I not speak to you?”""
print(to_you)

keep getting “Did you set to_you to the given Whitman poem?”

1 Like
#7

The editor by default creates an empty doc_string,

''''''

The next thing to do is place the cursor in the middle and enter a newline (hard return).

'''
  Enter any block of multiline text (or hidden code)
  which will keep the formatting we give it.
'''

Note the term doc_string. That’s not exactly correct as this only applies when it is the first statement inside the function code block.

def foo(bar):
    '''
    a function to return the value of `bar`
    '''
    return bar

When we write this anywhere else in the source code it is strictly a comment unless assigned to a variable, in which case it becomes a multiline string, which also retains any formatting we give it.

We can access the doc_string by polling that attribute of the function.

>>> print (foo.__doc__)

    a function to return the value of `bar`
    
>>>
1 Like
#8 
to_you ='''
Stranger, if you passing meet me and desire to speak to me, why
  should you not speak to me?
And why should I not speak to you?
'''
p = "1"
  to_you += p
print(to_you)

Im trying to execute the code above to include 1 in text but its showing indentationerror

#9

The second last line is indented. Unindent that line and it will work.

#10

I am getting the same and can’t seem to see how my entry is different to the solutions - they seem to be written out the same for me? Did you manage to get it to run eventually?