python / python/cpython

tokenize: `e.offset` on `IndentationError` is not set correctly

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3.14 3.15 3.16 interpreter-core topic-parser type-bug
Dominant language
Python
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Description

Bug report

Bug description:
import io, tokenize

input_s = """
def foo():
    x = 1
   x = "some_very_long_expression"
"""
try:
    list(tokenize.generate_tokens(io.StringIO(input_s).readline))
except IndentationError as e:
    print(f"{e.offset = }")

The line x = "some_very_long_expression" is indented with 3 spaces instead of 4, so we get an error.
We would expect the offset to be around 3, since that is where the issue is.
On python 3.12+, the offset is instead 35, equal to the length of the line + 1.

This appears to be caused by the refactor of tokenize done in 3.12 for PEP 701
Potentially related to https://github.com/python/cpython/issues/84515
Funnily enough, the exact same thing seems to have happened around 3.8 https://github.com/python/cpython/issues/75676

Tested versions:

Version e.offset
3.11.15 3
3.12.13 35
3.13.13 35
3.14.4 35
3.15.0b1 35

Testing command:
nix-shell -p python311 --run "python --version && python tmp.py"
(and replace 311 by 312, 313, etc)

CPython versions tested on:

3.15

Operating systems tested on:

Linux

Linked PRs
  • gh-154281

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start with tokenize.generate_tokens and reproduce the supplied IndentationError example across the listed Python versions. Trace how the tokenizer constructs IndentationError and compare the offset with Python 3.11 behavior. Done means the misindented line reports an offset near 3, with regression coverage for the example.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
python
Domain
compilers
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
3/5
Estimated time
1-2 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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