python-execution-fallback-9d4989

Python Execution Fallback

When to Use

Use this skill when execute_code_sandbox returns 'unknown error' or fails unexpectedly, even on simple Python code like print statements.

Solution

Switch to using run_shell with Python heredoc syntax instead of execute_code_sandbox.

Basic Syntax

python3 << 'EOF'
# Your Python code here
print("Hello World")
result = 2 + 2
print(f"Result: {result}")
EOF

How to Call

Instead of:

execute_code_sandbox(code="print('Hello')")

Use:

run_shell(command="python3 << 'EOF'\nprint('Hello')\nEOF")

For multi-line code, build the command string:

code = """
import json
data = {"status": "ok", "count": 42}
print(json.dumps(data))
"""
run_shell(command=f"python3 << 'EOF'\n{code}\nEOF")

Why This Works

• run_shell executes commands directly in the shell environment, bypassing sandbox issues
• Heredoc syntax (<< 'EOF') allows clean multi-line Python code without complex escaping
• Single quotes around EOF prevent unwanted shell variable expansion
• More reliable for simple to moderate Python execution tasks

Guidelines

1. Always use single quotes around EOF ('EOF') to prevent variable expansion
2. Test with a simple print statement first to verify Python is available
3. For longer scripts, consider writing to a .py file first, then executing:

   run_shell(command="python3 /path/to/script.py")
   

4. Capture stdout from run_shell to get Python output
5. Handle errors by checking run_shell's stderr output

Example: Complete Workflow

# Step 1: Try execute_code_sandbox
try:
    result = execute_code_sandbox(code="print(2+2)")
except Exception as e:
    # Step 2: Fallback to run_shell with heredoc
    result = run_shell(command="python3 << 'EOF'\nprint(2+2)\nEOF")
    # Parse stdout to get the output
    output = result.stdout.strip()

Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
Python not found	Use which python3 to verify installation
Heredoc not working	Ensure single quotes around EOF delimiter
Complex imports fail	Install required packages or write to .py file
Output not captured	Check run_shell stdout, not return value