Today, we are going to deal with the Python syntaxerror expected ‘except’ or ‘finally’ block error message.
If this error keeps on bothering you, then continue reading.
This article offers comprehensive explanations, along with examples and solutions to fix the syntaxerror: expected except or finally block, which will assist you in improving your Python programming abilities.
What is “syntaxerror expected ‘except’ or ‘finally’ block”?
The syntaxerror expected ‘except’ or ‘finally’ block is an error message that occurs when a try block is not followed by an except or finally block.
In Python, a try block must always be followed by either an except block, a finally block, or both.
The except block is used to catch and handle exceptions that may occur during the execution of the code within the try block.
The finally block is used to specify code that must be executed regardless of whether an exception was raised or not.
What are the root causes of “syntaxerror expected ‘except’ or ‘finally’ block”?
Before we proceed to the solution, let’s first understand the root causes of this error.
It is because it is essential to understand its root causes to address the error correctly.
Here are some situations that can lead to this error:
👉Forget to include an except block after a try block. The except block handles any exceptions that occur within the try block. Without it, the program lacks error handling, leading to this error.
👉If you forget to add a finally block after a try block, it means that certain cleanup actions, like closing files or releasing resources, may not be performed.
The finally block is important because it always runs, regardless of whether an exception occurs or not. Without it, the program can encounter a syntax error.
👉 This error can also occur if you incorrectly position try-except blocks. It is crucial to ensure that every try block is properly followed by either an except block or a finally block.
If you nest or order these blocks improperly, you may encounter this error.
👉 If you don’t indent the except or finally block correctly, Python will consider it as a separate block of code, leading to a syntax error. To avoid this error, make sure to indent the except or finally block at the same level as the try block.
👉There are times that the error message syntaxerror: expected ‘except’ or ‘finally’ block can be misleading. Instead of the anticipated cause, the error could be a result of syntax errors present within the except or finally block itself.
It is important to carefully review and verify the syntax of your code within these blocks, ensuring they are accurate and devoid of any additional syntax errors.
How to fix the “syntaxerror expected ‘except’ or ‘finally’ block”?
To fix the syntaxerror: expected except or finally block error, you need to ensure that your try block is followed by either an except block, a finally block, or both.
Here’s an example of how you can structure your code to avoid this error:
try:
# Input your code here
except SomeException:
# Handle the exception here
finally:
# This code will always be executedThe try block contains the code that might raise an exception. If an exception of type SomeException is raised, the code in the except block will be executed to handle it.
The finally block contains code that will always be executed, regardless of whether an exception was raised or not.
Here are the different solutions to fix the error:
Solution 1: Add an except block after the try block
For example:
try:
# Input your code here
except:
# Handle the exception here
As you can see in this example, the solution adds an except block after the try block to catch and handle any exceptions that may occur during the execution of the code within the try block.
Solution 2: Add finally block after the try block
For example:
try:
# Input your code here
finally:
# This code will always be executed
To solve this problem, you can add a finally block after the try block. The code inside the finally block will always run, no matter what happens in the try block.
It ensures that certain actions are performed, regardless of any exceptions that might occur.
Solution 3: Add both an except and a finally block after the try block
For example:
try:
# Input your code here
except:
# Handle the exception here
finally:
# This code will always be executed
To resolve the issue, you can add both an except and a finally block after the try block.
The except block is responsible for catching and handling any exceptions that might occur during the execution of the code within the try block.
On the other hand, the finally block is used to specify code that must be executed, regardless of whether an exception was raised or not.
This combination of blocks ensures proper exception handling and the execution of necessary code.
Solution 4: Add a specific exception type to the except block
For example:
try:
# Input your code here
except SomeException:
# Handle the exception here
To address this problem, you can add an except block after the try block.
By specifying a particular exception type, such as SomeException, the code within the except block will catch and handle that specific type of exception.
In this example, if a SomeException is raised while executing the code within the try block, the corresponding code within the except block will be triggered to handle the exception.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the syntaxerror expected ‘except’ or ‘finally’ block is an error message that occurs when a try block is not followed by an except or finally block.
To fix this error, you need to ensure that your try block is followed by either an except block, a finally block, or both.
This article already provides solutions to fix this error message. By executing the solutions above, you can master this SyntaxError with the help of this guide.
You could also check out other SyntaxError articles that may help you in the future if you encounter them.
- Syntaxerror generator expression must be parenthesized
- ‘import’ and ‘export’ may appear only with ‘sourcetype: module’
- Uncaught in promise syntaxerror: unexpected end of input
We are hoping that this article helps you fix the error. Thank you for reading itsourcecoders 😊