Running Python Scripts from Python Programs

You can run Python scripts from Python programs and you can call Python script methods from within a Python program. This allows you to write Python programs that operate on user interface and output objects.

• This feature is only available when running a Python program from the IBM® SPSS® Statistics client--within a BEGIN PROGRAM-END PROGRAM block in command syntax or within an extension command. It is not available when running a Python program from an external Python process.
• When running Python scripting code from a Python program in distributed mode, you may need to configure your firewall to allow access from the remote server to which you are connected.

Example: Calling a Python Script from a Python Program

This example shows a Python program that creates a custom pivot table and calls a Python script to make the column labels of the table bold.

BEGIN PROGRAM.
import spss, MakeColsBold
spss.StartProcedure("Demo")
table = spss.BasePivotTable("Sample Table","OMS subtype")
table.SimplePivotTable(rowlabels = ["1","2"],
                       collabels = ["A","B"],
                       cells = ["1A","1B","2A","2B"])
spss.EndProcedure()
MakeColsBold.Run("Sample Table")
END PROGRAM.

• Python programs use the interface exposed by the Python spss module, so the first line of the program contains an import statement for that module. The Python script is assumed to be contained in a Python module named MakeColsBold, so the import statement also includes that module.
• The code from spss.StartProcedure to spss.EndProcedure creates a pivot table titled "Sample Table".
• MakeColsBold.Run("Sample Table") calls the Run function in the MakeColsBold module and passes the value "Sample Table" as the argument. The Run function implements the Python script to make the column labels of the specified table bold.

The content of the MakeColsBold module is as follows:

import SpssClient

def Run(tableName):
   SpssClient.StartClient()
   OutputDoc = SpssClient.GetDesignatedOutputDoc()
   OutputItems = OutputDoc.GetOutputItems()
   for index in range(OutputItems.Size()):
      OutputItem = OutputItems.GetItemAt(index)
      if OutputItem.GetType() == SpssClient.OutputItemType.PIVOT \
        and OutputItem.GetDescription() == tableName:
         PivotTable = OutputItem.GetSpecificType()
         ColumnLabels = PivotTable.ColumnLabelArray()
         for i in range(ColumnLabels.GetNumColumns()):
            ColumnLabels.SelectLabelAt(1,i)
         PivotTable.SetTextStyle(SpssClient.SpssTextStyleTypes.SpssTSBold)
   SpssClient.StopClient()

• The import SpssClient statement is needed to access the classes and methods available in the Python scripting interface.
• The module contains a single function named Run, which implements the script. It takes a single argument that specifies the name of the table to modify. There is nothing special about the name Run and the module is not limited to a single function. You can create a module that contains many functions, each of which implements a different script.
• The Run function calls SpssClient.StartClient() to provide a connection to the associated IBM SPSS Statistics client and SpssClient.StopClient() to terminate the connection at the completion of the script.

Example: Calling Python Scripting Methods Directly from a Python Program

This example shows a Python program that creates a custom pivot table and makes direct calls to Python scripting methods to make the title of the table italic.

BEGIN PROGRAM.
import spss, SpssClient
spss.StartProcedure("Demo")
table = spss.BasePivotTable("Sample Table","OMS subtype")
table.SimplePivotTable(cells = ["A","B","C","D"])
spss.EndProcedure()

SpssClient.StartClient()
OutputDoc = SpssClient.GetDesignatedOutputDoc()
OutputItems = OutputDoc.GetOutputItems()
OutputItem = OutputItems.GetItemAt(OutputItems.Size()-1)
PivotTable = OutputItem.GetSpecificType()
PivotTable.SelectTitle()
PivotTable.SetTextStyle(SpssClient.SpssTextStyleTypes.SpssTSItalic)
SpssClient.StopClient()
END PROGRAM.

• The import spss, SpssClient statement provides access to the classes and methods available for Python programs (spss) as well as those for Python scripts (SpssClient).
• The code from spss.StartProcedure to spss.EndProcedure is the Python program code that creates the pivot table.
• The code from SpssClient.StartClient() to SpssClient.StopClient() is the Python script code that makes the title italic.