SyntaxError: unqualified exec is not allowed in ... ?

[j vickroy]

Could someone help me understand the following Python 2.3 error message:

SyntaxError: unqualified exec is not allowed in function 'load' it contains
a nested function with free variables

in the following context:

class Spam(object): pass

class Spammer(object):
...
def load(self):
...
exec 'o = %s()' % Spam.__name__
...


Thanks.

P.S.
I would provide a simple script demonstrating the problem, but, so far, I
have not been able to reproduce the error in a simple context.

 

[j vickroy]

OK-- never fails -- puzzle over something for a long period of time -- post
message to group -- see cause of error soon after posting.

There is a lambda expression further down the line in the function where the
syntax error is raised.

Sorry for the needless posting.