run python program from ipython

Question

I'm trying to run python program from ipython notebook. If run below command it's works.

run twitterstream.py >> output.txt

However if run with while loop it fails. I don't know why it fails?

import time
t_end = time.time() + 60 * 3
while time.time() < t_end:
    print ('entered')
    run twitterstream.py >> output.txt

Syntax error:

File "<ipython-input-28-842e0185b3a8>", line 5
    run twitterstream.py >> output.txt
                    ^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax

what exactly is twitterstream.py doing? – Grr May 10 '16 at 14:31 — Grr, May 10 '16 at 14:31
It collects the tweets from the twitter. – samy May 10 '16 at 14:33 — samy, May 10 '16 at 14:33

Grr · Accepted Answer · 2016-05-10T15:25:34.987

1

Your while statement is structured properly. Although it will print "entered" as many times as possible until 180 seconds has elapsed (that's a lot of times), and it will also try to call your script in the same way. You would likely be better served by only calling your script once every 1,5,10, or whatever number of seconds as it is unnecessary to call it constantly.

As pointed out by Tadhg McDonald-Jensen using %run you will be able to call your script. Also there are limits to the rate of calls to twitter that you must consider see here. Basically 15 per 15 minutes or 180 per 15 minutes, though I'm not sure which applies here.

Assuming 15 per 15 minutes worst case scenario, you could run 15 calls in your three minute window. So you could do something like:

from math import floor

temp = floor(time.time())
    while time.time() < t_end:
        if floor(time.time()) == temp + 12:
            %run twitterstream.py >> output.txt
        temp = floor(time.time())

This would call your script every 12 seconds.

edited May 10 '16 at 15:25

answered May 10 '16 at 14:38

Grr

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This does not address the actual question of "why does this line of code work in ipython notebook but raise a SyntaxError in a script" – Tadhg McDonald-Jensen May 10 '16 at 14:57
@TadhgMcDonald-Jensen I am aware. Unfortunately OP didn't bring up the Syntax Error until after I had posted. – Grr May 10 '16 at 15:07
Isn't it still obvious that `run twitterstream.py >> output.txt` is not valid python syntax? – Tadhg McDonald-Jensen May 10 '16 at 15:08
Was under the impression he was using Ipython, (which i do not use extensively) so not immediately. – Grr May 10 '16 at 15:11
1

@TadhgMcDonald-Jensen clearly answer is not applicable – Grr May 10 '16 at 15:11
Now it is good (even if you only knew to do `%run` from the comment on my answer) I think there are restrictions on the twitter api so this will probably be useful to the OP – Tadhg McDonald-Jensen May 10 '16 at 15:21

score 1 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:31

1

the run "magic command" is not valid python code or syntax.

If you want to use the magic commands from code you need to reference How to run an IPython magic from a script (or timing a Python script)

edited May 23 '17 at 12:31

Community

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answered May 10 '16 at 14:51

Tadhg McDonald-Jensen

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thanks alot. adding "%" symbol in-front of "run" , it worked. – samy May 10 '16 at 15:00

run python program from ipython

2 Answers2