Hi,
This is my first post to this forum. I am just a beginner so I am not really sure what everything in my code does. Below is my python code. I would like to change the code to ask the user where the files are located and automatically update the various programs.

Compare1.asc and Compare 2.asc are almost identical so I will only refer to Compare1.asc. These programs are used with a program called MUST. I would like to ask the user some questions and have the answers automatically update the Compare1.asc and resave. One example: The Compare1.asc below uses the directory:C:\Temp\TestPy\.

I would like to ask the user where his files are located and have the answer change the program and resave.

I am not sure if I hit on all the main points or explained my problem well enough so if you have any questions please ask.
Thanks,
Joe

Question.py--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
print "This test program requires:"
print " the use of Python2.5"
print " the use of Excel2003"
print " the directory C:\Temp\TestPy exist"
print " the file AnalysisX.asc exist and is present in directory where this is run"
print " the files Analysis1.bat & Analysis2.bat exist and is present in directory where this is run"
print " that PSS(r)MUST 9.1 by installed in the default dir C:\Program Files\Pti\MUST 9.1 "
print " "

cmd = "Analysis1.bat"


print "Executing Cmd:",cmd # convenient way to visually verify command to be run
status = os.system ( cmd ) # cmd contains command to run MUST with ASC file

print "Creating workbook for ANALYSIS1 run"

MUST_Rpt_File1 = 'C:\\Program Files\\PTI\\MUST 9.1\\Program\\systlist.lis'

xlsFile = 'C:\\temp\\testpy\\MyExcelFile1.xls'

xlApp = win32com.client.Dispatch( "Excel.Application" )
xlApp.Visible = False

ot_Origin = 437
ot_StartRow = 1
ot_DataType =1
ot_TextQualifier = 1
ot_ConsecutiveDelimiter = 1
ot_Tab = 1
ot_Semicolon = 0
ot_Comma = 0
ot_Space = 1
ot_Other = 0

xlApp.Workbooks.OpenText(MUST_Rpt_File1, ot_Origin,ot_StartRow,ot_DataType,ot_TextQualifier, ot_ConsecutiveDelimiter,ot_Tab, ot_Semicolon, ot_Comma, ot_Space)

xlApp.ActiveWorkbook.SaveAs(xlsFile)
xlApp.ActiveWorkbook.Close(False)

xlApp.Quit()

cmd = "Analysis2.bat"


status = os.system ( "Analysis2.bat" ) #using alternate way to run MUST script

print "Creating workbook for ANALYSIS2 run"

MUST_Rpt_File2 = 'C:\\Program Files\\PTI\\MUST 9.1\\Program\\systlist.lis'

xlsFile = 'C:\\temp\\testpy\\MyExcelFile2.xls'

xlApp = win32com.client.Dispatch( "Excel.Application" )
xlApp.Visible = False


ot_Origin = 437
ot_StartRow = 1
ot_DataType =1
ot_TextQualifier = 1
ot_ConsecutiveDelimiter = 1
ot_Tab = 1
ot_Semicolon = 0
ot_Comma = 0
ot_Space = 1
ot_Other = 0

xlApp.Workbooks.OpenText(MUST_Rpt_File2, ot_Origin,ot_StartRow,ot_DataType,ot_TextQualifier, ot_ConsecutiveDelimiter,ot_Tab, ot_Semicolon, ot_Comma, ot_Space)

xlApp.ActiveWorkbook.SaveAs(xlsFile)
xlApp.ActiveWorkbook.Close(False)

xlApp.Quit()


print "Finished!"

Analysis1.bat----------------------------------------------------------------------
MUST Compare1.asc

Analysis2.bat----------------------------------------------------------------------
MUST Compare2.asc
Compare1.asc---------------------------------------------------------------------
*C -
*C PSS®MUST 9.1 Response File - Recorded: Thursday, Apr 16,2009 23:00:43
*C -

optn
2 9999999
3 1
*blank
y
pscase
'C:\Temp\TestPy\y08_09sR3.sav'
acsolv/opt/adj/1 1/2 0/3 1/4 0/5 1/
gen/1 1/3 0/
sol/1 30/2 0.6/3 0/4 0/5 0.9/7 0.7/8 15///
ACSOLV/LFN
*if *MUST_STATUS LE 2 then
subs/read
'C:\Temp\TestPy\ACCC-MUST.sub'
*blank
*endif

*if *MUST_STATUS LE 2 then
constr
1 2.00000
2 3
3 100
4 3
5 100
6 4
7 0
8 3
9 10000
/y
*endif

*if *MUST_STATUS LE 2 then
read
'C:\Temp\TestPy\OUC.mon'
'C:\Temp\TestPy\FL230-FMPP.con'
*blank
*endif

*if *MUST_STATUS LE 2 then
constr//excl/read/ 'C:\Temp\TestPy\NonFirmExclude.exc'//
*endif
*if *MUST_STATUS LE 2 then
must
1 0
2 1
3 50000
4 0.03000
5 3
6 1
7 1
8 0.00000
9 0.00000
10 0.00000
/y
*endif
*C AC MENU shifts indirectly recorded
*C >> REF TO DIRECT OUTPUT <<<<<<
tran/direct/f/Case_1_systlist.lis/print syst/direct/t/
*C >> MENU SHIFT <<<<<<
/3/
MUST
1 0
2 1
3 50000
4 0.02000
5 100
6 0
7 1
8 0.00000
9 0.00000
10 0.00000
/y
*C >> MENU SHIFT <<<<<<
/3/ACCONT
lfopt
adj/1 0/2 0/3 1/4 0/5 1/
gen/1 1/3 0
/sol/1 30/2 0.6/3 0/4 0/5 0.9/7 0.7/8 15//
opt/1 2/2 2
3 0
4 0/
exe
*C
*C Select all constraints
constra
bra/sel/all/
int/sel/all/
fgate/sel/all/
*blank
*C
*C
*C Select all contingencies
contin/sel/all/
*C
dir/f/'Case1_ContSum.lis'
*C >> MODIFIED REF TO EXCEL INTERFACE <<<<<<

constr/print sum/print bviol/
*C >> REF TO TERMINAL OUTPUT <<<<<<
dir/t
cont/sel
All
/constraints/Branch/sel/all
*C >> MODIFIED REF TO EXCEL INTERFACE <<<<<<
dir/f/Case1_MonElRep/ opt/1 100/2 100//pr viol/dir/t//
save/'C:\Temp\TestPy\Compare.acc'
/
/MUST
1 0
2 1
3 50000
4 0.03000
5 3
6 1
7 1
8 0.00000
9 0.00000
10 0.00000
/y
/3/
stop

Compare2.asc--------------------------------------------------------------------
*C -
*C PSS®MUST 9.1 Response File - Recorded: Thursday, Apr 16,2009 23:00:43
*C -

optn
2 9999999
3 1
*blank
y
pscase
'C:\Temp\TestPy\y08_09sR3.sav'
acsolv/opt/adj/1 1/2 0/3 1/4 0/5 1/
gen/1 1/3 0/
sol/1 30/2 0.6/3 0/4 0/5 0.9/7 0.7/8 15///
ACSOLV/LFN
*if *MUST_STATUS LE 2 then
subs/read
'C:\Temp\TestPy\ACCC-MUST.sub'
*blank
*endif

*if *MUST_STATUS LE 2 then
constr
1 2.00000
2 3
3 100
4 3
5 100
6 4
7 0
8 3
9 10000
/y
*endif

*if *MUST_STATUS LE 2 then
read
'C:\Temp\TestPy\OUC.mon'
'C:\Temp\TestPy\FL230-FMPP.con'
*blank
*endif

*if *MUST_STATUS LE 2 then
constr//excl/read/ 'C:\Temp\TestPy\NonFirmExclude.exc'//
*endif
*if *MUST_STATUS LE 2 then
must
1 0
2 1
3 50000
4 0.03000
5 3
6 1
7 1
8 0.00000
9 0.00000
10 0.00000
/y
*endif
*C AC MENU shifts indirectly recorded
*C >> REF TO DIRECT OUTPUT <<<<<<
tran/direct/f/systlist.lis/print syst/direct/t/
*C >> MENU SHIFT <<<<<<
/3/
MUST
1 0
2 1
3 50000
4 0.02000
5 100
6 0
7 1
8 0.00000
9 0.00000
10 0.00000
/y
*C >> MENU SHIFT <<<<<<
/3/ACCONT
lfopt
adj/1 0/2 0/3 1/4 0/5 1/
gen/1 1/3 0
/sol/1 30/2 0.6/3 0/4 0/5 0.9/7 0.7/8 15//
opt/1 2/2 2
3 0
4 0/
exe
*C
*C Select all constraints
constra
bra/sel/all/
int/sel/all/
fgate/sel/all/
*blank
*C
*C
*C Select all contingencies
contin/sel/all/
*C
dir/f/'Case2_ContSum.lis'
*C >> MODIFIED REF TO EXCEL INTERFACE <<<<<<

constr/print sum/print bviol/
*C >> REF TO TERMINAL OUTPUT <<<<<<
dir/t
cont/sel
All
/constraints/Branch/sel/all
*C >> MODIFIED REF TO EXCEL INTERFACE <<<<<<
dir/f/Case2_MonElRep/ opt/1 100/2 100//pr viol/dir/t//
save/'C:\Temp\TestPy\Case2.acc'
/
/MUST
1 0
2 1
3 50000
4 0.03000
5 3
6 1
7 1
8 0.00000
9 0.00000
10 0.00000
/y
/3/
stop

Please use code tags when posting code.
[code=python]
# Put your code inside here
[/code]

As far as Python input methods you can use raw_input to prompt the user for input:

Thank you. Are there a lot of different inputs? I don't understand code tags. Do I have to wrap every line with [] or one [ at the beginning of the program, and one] at the end?
Joe

Just put it like so

[code tag starts here]

CODE GOES HERE
CODE
CODE
CODE

[/code tag ends here]

put non-code stuff here

This is for when you post code in the forum. It allows us other members to read your code very easily, as it doesn't come out in a jumbled mess like above. It will have nice formatting and syntax highlighting to help us solve your problems!

Hey joe,

the easiest way to ask the user something (also the path of a file) is the raw_input function.
First try this in your python-interpreter:

A little window will pop up, that contains the prompt you give as the parameter (What is your name). If you fill in your name an choose 'ok' you'll see that your input is written on the stdout. The input of this window you also can put into a variable, to use it for your things. Here is an example how you can open a file given by the user via raw_input:


you also could try that in your interpreter to see what happens. Best is you write a little textfile for this purpose.

But if we are true: everybody hates it to fill in long pathnames by hand. So we can do something more elegant. Try that in your interpreter:

And see what you get. Maybe you have to cut away then some parameters with the string-manipulation methods.

hope these little examples will bring you some light in understanding how to get a filepath from the user.

Mearah