How to Execute Multi-Line Statements in a One-Line Command Line

When executing a single-line loop with Python's -c option, importing a module before the loop results in a syntax error. This is because the Python interpreter treats the code block as a single statement.

To resolve this issue, several methods can be employed:

Using Pipes

To overcome the syntax error, use the echo command to redirect the code block to Python as a series of input lines:

echo -e "import sys\nfor r in range(10): print 'rob'" | python

Using exec()

Another approach is to use the exec() function to execute the code block as a Python script:

python -c "exec(\"import sys\nfor r in range(10): print 'rob'\")"

Expanding to Multiple Lines

If using pipes or exec() is not feasible, the code block can be expanded to multiple lines separated by semicolons:

(echo "import sys" ; echo "for r in range(10): print 'rob'" ; echo "exec(\"import sys\nfor r in range(10): print 'rob'")") | python

By utilizing these techniques, you can execute multi-line statements in a single command line while maintaining the desired structure for your Makefile.