Executing Python Script From Command Line is Hiding Print Statements

Question

I know this must be a super basic question, however, I have tried finding a simple answer throughout SO and cannot find one.

So my question is this: How can I execute a python script from the command line such that I can see print statements.

For example, say I have the file test.py:

def hello():
    print "hello"

If I enter the interpreter, import test.py, and then call test.hello(), everything works fine. However, I want to be able to just run

python test.py

from the command line and have it print "hello" to the terminal.

How do I do this?

Thanks!

UPDATED: Yes, sorry, my script is actually more like this:

def main():
    hello()

def hello():
    print "hello"

Do I still need to call main(), or is it automatically invoked?

Answer 1

Add at the end of the file:

if __name__ == '__main__':
    hello()

Answer 2

Your print statement is enclosed in a function definition block. You would need to call the function in order for it to execute:

def hello():
    print "hello"

if __name__ == '__main__':
    hello()

Basically this is saying "if this file is the main file (has been called from the command line), then run this code."