[PATCH] scripts/spdxcheck: add friendly error message for missing ply module

[PATCH] scripts/spdxcheck: add friendly error message for missing ply module

[3237174131]

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From: Xia Zhoxin <3237174131@qq.com>
Subject: [PATCH] scripts/spdxcheck: add friendly error message for missing ply module
To: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
Cc: tglx@kernel.org, gregkh@linuxfoundation.org

The spdxcheck.py script requires the 'ply' Python module, but when
it is missing, the script crashes with a raw ImportError traceback.
This is especially problematic in CI environments where the error
is not immediately obvious.

Add a friendly error message that tells the user exactly what is
needed and how to install it.

Signed-off-by: Xia Zhoxin <3237174131@qq.com>
---
 scripts/spdxcheck.py | 8 +++++++-
 1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/scripts/spdxcheck.py b/scripts/spdxcheck.py
--- a/scripts/spdxcheck.py
+++ b/scripts/spdxcheck.py
@@ -5,7 +5,13 @@
 from argparse import ArgumentParser
-from ply import lex, yacc
+try:
+    from ply import lex, yacc
+except ImportError as e:
+    import sys
+    sys.stderr.write('Error: %s\n' % e)
+    sys.stderr.write('Please install the ply module (e.g., pip install ply)\n')
+    sys.exit(1)
 import locale
 import traceback
 import fnmatch

Re: [PATCH] scripts/spdxcheck: add friendly error message for missing ply module

[Greg KH]

On Wed, Aug 26, 2026 at 10:35:43PM -0700, 3237174131@qq.com wrote:
> From: Xia Zhoxin <3237174131@qq.com>
> Subject: [PATCH] scripts/spdxcheck: add friendly error message for missing ply module
> To: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
> Cc: tglx@kernel.org, gregkh@linuxfoundation.org

This shouldn't be in the body of the email.

Try using a tool like `b4` to send patches out, it's designed to make
this type of thing "just work".

thanks,

greg k-h