API

This module is best used via the command line. You will mostly work through the pycps/api.py entry point, which takes a number of command line arguments.

$ python pycps/api.py -h
usage: api.py [-h] [-s] [-i] [--monthly-data-fixups] [--append-fixups] [-d]
              [-y] [-p] [-x] [-m] [-o]

Invoke pycps

optional arguments:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  -s , --settings       path to JSON settings file (default:
                        pycps/settings.json)
  -i , --info           Path to info.json (default: pycps/info.json)
  --monthly-data-fixups
                        path to file containing data fixup functions. This
                        file must be in the current directory (default: None)
  --append-fixups       Whether to add or replace with user supplied fixups
                        (default: True)
  -d, --download-dictionaries
                        Download data dictionaries (default: False)
  -y, --download-monthly
                        Download monthly data files (default: False)
  -p, --parse-dictionaries
                        Parse data dictionaries (default: False)
  -x, --parse-monthly   Parse monthly data files (default: False)
  -m, --merge           Merge monthly files by household (default: False)
  -o, --overwrite       Overwrite existing cache (default: False)

In standard fashion, these flags can be combined to do multiple things. If you just want to get going, you’ll probably want to download all the data dictionaries and monthly files, and merge them together by houehold. To do this, use

python pycps/api.py -dypxm

Some settings (such as paths where you want the data to be stored) can be specified in a JSON settings file. PyCPS comes with one, which you can edit directly, or copy it, make your adjustments, and point to it when running:

python pycps/api.py --settings='pycps/mysettings.json'

The next section describes the settings file.