title: Python - defining global string variables
body: <p>My question is how do initialize global string variables in python 
  For example, when I do the following.  </p>
  
  <pre><code> 24 def global_paths():
   25         global RUN_PATH
   26         global BASE_PATH
   27         global EXE_SUFIX
   28         global SPEC_PATH
   29         global cmd_list
   30
   31         global RUN_PATH  = "/run/run_base_ref_amd64-m64-gcc43-nn.0000/"
   32         global BASE_PATH = "/SPECcpu2006/1.1/cdrom"
   33         global EXE_SUFIX = "_base.amd64-m64-gcc43-nn"
   34         global SPEC_PATH = BASE_PATH + "/benchspec/CPU2006/"
   35         global cmd_list  = {}
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I get the error:</p>
  
  <pre><code>    global RUN_PATH  = "/run/run_base_ref_amd64-m64-gcc43-nn.0000/"
                       ^
  SyntaxError: invalid syntax
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>What is the mistake I'm doing?</p>
  
  <p>Question is similar to <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/370357/python-variable-scope-question">this</a></p>