python pass excel file into function via command line

Question

The version of Python I'm using is 2.7.

I have this function in a file called RunAPIGeocoder.py

APIGeocoder.geocode(excel_path=r'{}'.format(input_path))

I need to call this process in the command line and I want to simply pass through an excel file

if I change the function to

APIGeocoder.geocode(excel_path)

and run from CMD

python RunAPIGeocoder.py C:path\Book12019_07_29_16_03_12.875947.xlsx

it will give me this error

NameError: name 'excel_path' is not defined

excel_path is a parameter in the geocode function

I should note I am not trying to use raw_input from the user because this process will be piped into another process and I do not want user input

part of the geocode function in APIGeocoder.py

def geocode(excel_path):
    try:
        print 'Geocoding in Process...Start Time: {}'.format(time.strftime('%c'))

        # Read in data
        df_input = pd.read_excel(excel_path, converters={'NodeId':str})

Is the library the one described at geocoder.readthedocs.io? Because I can't find APIGeocoder. — Guillermo Mosse
– Guillermo Mosse, Commented Jul 30, 2019 at 14:48
no this is a custom script, nothing to do with that geocoder — ziggy
– ziggy, Commented Jul 30, 2019 at 14:49
Parameter != argument: APIGeocoder.geocode(excel_path=input_path). The call to format doesn't really accomplish anything. excel_path is the name of the parameter; input_path is the name of the argument assigned to the parameter for that function call. — chepner
– chepner, Commented Jul 30, 2019 at 14:54
@chepner the script works with APIGeocoder.geocode(excel_path=r'{}'.format(input_path)) — ziggy
– ziggy, Commented Jul 30, 2019 at 15:00
@ziggy Of course it does; because that call to format returns input_path unchanged. The problem with switching from geocode(excel_path=...) to geocode(excel_path in that you are switching from passing input_path via a keyword argument to passing the (nonexistent) local variable excel_path as a positional argument. — chepner
– chepner, Commented Jul 30, 2019 at 15:02

Guillermo Mosse · Accepted Answer · 2019-07-30 15:02:31Z

1

TL;DR:

Try changing APIGeocoder.geocode(excel_path) to APIGeocoder.geocode(excel_path=input_path).

The first version you provided works because the variable that contains what you are passing from the console is input_path.

excel_path is the parameter of the geocode method. On the other hand, input_path is the argument you are passing to the method. In your first example, you were using input_path as an argument, but preprocessing it first:

APIGeocoder.geocode(excel_path=r'{}'.format(input_path))

In other words, you are telling the geocode method that its parameter excel_path shall contain the value r'{}'.format(input_path), which is some processing that you do to the variable input_path. Read about the difference between parameters and arguments!

edited Jul 30, 2019 at 15:02

answered Jul 30, 2019 at 14:53

Guillermo Mosse

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5 Comments

ziggy Over a year ago

says excel_path is not defined

Guillermo Mosse Over a year ago

can you provide me with a minimum not working example here? colab.research.google.com/drive/…

ziggy Over a year ago

I fully understand the difference between a parameter and an argument

Guillermo Mosse Over a year ago

The answer you provided is equivalent to mine, right? Where I use input_path as a variable, you are using f.

ziggy Over a year ago

yeah but *sys.argv[1:] was what I was missing and did not know how to use it

ziggy · Accepted Answer · 2019-07-30 15:13:42Z

1

figured it out

def run_geocoder(f):
    APIGeocoder.geocode(excel_path=r'{}'.format(f))

run_geocoder(*sys.argv[1:])

answered Jul 30, 2019 at 15:13

ziggy

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