name 'endCol' is not defined in python script

Question

I have no idea on why my variable is not defined

My code:

    def menu():
            print("Please select the following option:\n 1. 1b\n 2. 2b\n 3. 3b\n 4. 4b\n 5. 5b\n")
            option = input()
            if option == "1":
                    endCol = 133
            if option == "2":
                    endCol = 135
            if option == "3":
                    endCol = 263
            if option == "4":
                    endCol = 519
            if option == "5":
                    endCol = 1031
    def filebrowser(ext=""):
            "Returns files with an extension"
            return [f for f in glob.glob(f"*{ext}")]
    menu()
    x = filebrowser(".csv")
    csv = input()
    df2 = pd.read_csv(csv, skiprows = range(62,125), usecols = range(3,endCol))

Output:

Please select the following option:

1b
2b
3b
4b
5b

3 (input)

['abc.csv', 'def.csv', 'ghi.csv']

def.csv (input)

NameError: name 'endCol' is not defined

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 08 '20 at 07:23

endCol is a local variable in menu function, so it can't be used from outside. You can return value you need and save it to use later:

def menu():
        print("Please select the following option:\n 1. 1b\n 2. 2b\n 3. 3b\n 4. 4b\n 5. 5b\n")
        option = input()
        if option == "1":
                return 133
        if option == "2":
                return 135
        if option == "3":
                return 263
        if option == "4":
                return 519
        if option == "5":
                return 1031
def filebrowser(ext=""):
        "Returns files with an extension"
        return [f for f in glob.glob(f"*{ext}")]
endCol = menu()
x = filebrowser(".csv")
csv = input()
df2 = pd.read_csv(csv, skiprows = range(62,125), usecols = range(3,endCol))

score 0 · Accepted Answer · edited Apr 08 '20 at 07:28

0

your variable endCol is visible only from your function menu you should return endCol form your function:

def menu():
    print("Please select the following option:\n 1. 1b\n 2. 2b\n 3. 3b\n 4. 4b\n 5. 5b\n")
    option = input()
    endCol = None
    if option == "1":
            endCol = 133
    if option == "2":
            endCol = 135
    if option == "3":
            endCol = 263
    if option == "4":
            endCol = 519
    if option == "5":
            endCol = 1031
    return endCol

endCol = menu()

edited Apr 08 '20 at 07:28

rid

61,078
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answered Apr 08 '20 at 07:27

kederrac

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Thank you very much kederrac. it solve the problem :) – user6201481 Apr 08 '20 at 07:42

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 08 '20 at 07:27

You would have to (for exmaple) add a return endCol after the last if statement of the menu() function and catch the return value in the end:

def menu():
    print("Please select the following option:\n 1. 1b\n 2. 2b\n 3. 3b\n 4. 4b\n 5. 5b\n")
    option = input()
    if option == "1":
        endCol = 133
    if option == "2":
        endCol = 135
    if option == "3":
        endCol = 263
    if option == "4":
        endCol = 519
    if option == "5":
        endCol = 1031
    return endCol

## when calling the menu() function:
V = menu()

### you can now work with the value V:

df2 = pd.read_csv(csv, skiprows=range(62,125), usecols=range(3, V))

name 'endCol' is not defined in python script

3 Answers3