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• Python QuickStart

  Python QuickStart

  InterSystems IRIS® data platform supports two lightweight Python APIs that provide direct access to InterSystems IRIS databases via relational tables or multidimensional storage:

  • PyODBC lets your application quickly retrieve, update, and delete data.
    
  • The Native API for Python lets your application directly access the underlying data structure within InterSystems IRIS (known as globals) as well as call ObjectScript methods and routines.
    

  Watch the video to review ways to connect your application to InterSystems IRIS, and try the exercise below to use PyODBC and the Native API for Python to connect to InterSystems IRIS.

  Note: Python is only available on InterSystems IRIS v2019.2+.
• Collapse allExpand all
  Try It

  Try It

  In the steps below, you will access a set of sample stock data using each of the ways described. With Python, you can interact with InterSystems IRIS relationally (with PyODBC) or natively (with the Native API).

  Note:

  The sample code and supporting wheel files only support Python 3.

  Start the exercise in one of three ways:

  1. Use an InterSystems Learning Lab by clicking the launcher button below.
  2. Use AWS, Azure, or GCP:
     1. Follow the steps to change the password for InterSystems IRIS.
     2. Make sure you have Python 3.8 or 3.9 installed on your cloud instance.
  3. Try the exercise locally with an instance of InterSystems IRIS and an IDE that supports Python (such as PyCharm).
     1. Make sure you have Python 3.8 or 3.9 installed locally.
     2. If you use your IDE, please verify you have a recently updated Windows, macOS, or Linux operating system.

  • You must be logged in to launch an InterSystems IRIS instance.

    • Log in with your existing account.
    • Don't have an InterSystems account? Create a new account.
  • Set up

    1. Load sample stock data into InterSystems IRIS:
       • If you are using InterSystems Learning Labs, the data is already loaded. Continue to Step 2.
       • If you have your own instance:
         1. Clone or download this repository: https://github.com/intersystems/Samples-Stock-Data
            This repository has a folder named data, which contains all files needed to load the sample stock data.
         2. In the Management Portal, navigate to System Explorer > Classes and import DemoStockCls.xml and StocksUtil.xml files into the USER namespace from the data folder.
         3. In the InterSystems IRIS Terminal, type the following command. Replace repo_home with the directory of Sample-Stock-Data repo that you recently cloned:

            do ##class(Demo.Stock).LoadData("repo_home/data/all_stocks_1yr.csv")

    2. After getting the sample stock data, now you can get the sample Python code to interact with the data.
       • If you are using InterSystems Learning Labs, clone the Python QuickStart repo:

         git clone https://github.com/intersystems/quickstarts-python

       • If you have your own instance, clone the following repo and open it in your IDE:

         https://github.com/intersystems/quickstarts-python

    3. Correct the connection information.
       • If you are using InterSystems Learning Labs:
         1. Navigate to the Solutions directory: cd quickstarts-python/Solutions
         2. Open the connection.config file and modify the file to contain the correct values for your InterSystems IRIS instance. The ip should match the InterSystems IP from the container launcher. The port should match the InterSystems 1972 port from the launcher.
       • If you have your own instance:
         1. Open connection.config file and modify the IP and password to be the correct values for your InterSystems IRIS instance. Although port and username are most likely the defaults, you should verify that the values are correct.
         2. In your IDE's integrated terminal, navigate to the Solutions directory: cd Solutions
    4. Install InterSystems IRIS Native API for Python, following the directions below for your operating system. Note that InterSystems Learning Labs, AWS, GCP, and Azure all use Linux.
       • Windows: pip install nativeAPI_wheel\irisnative-1.0.0-cp34.cp35.cp36.cp37.cp38.cp39-none-win_amd64.whl
       • macOS: pip install nativeAPI_wheel/irisnative-1.0.0-cp34-abi3-macosx_10_13_x86_64.macosx_10_14_x86_64.whl
       • Linux: pip install nativeAPI_wheel/irisnative-1.0.0-cp34-abi3-linux_x86_64.whl
       If installed successfully, you should see the following message: Successfully installed irisnative-1.0.0
    5. Install InterSystems IRIS PyODBC driver:
       
       1. Verify you have PyODBC installed locally.
          • If not, please see how to install PyODBC.
          • If you use InterSystems Learning Labs, PyODBC is already installed for you.
       2. Find your operating system and run the following command in the terminal:
          • If you are using a local instance, InterSystems IRIS ODBC driver is installed. You can skip this step.
          • Windows: pyodbc_wheel\ODBC-2022.1.0.209.0-win_x64.exe
          • macOS: odbcinst –i –d –f pyodbc_wheel/mac/odbcinst.ini
          • Linux: sudo odbcinst -i -d -f pyodbc_wheel/linux/odbcinst.ini
       If installed successfully:
       • On Windows: The .exe file finishes without any error.
       • On other operating systems, you should see the following message:

         odbcinst: Driver installed. Usage count increased to 1.

  • Use the Native API to store to a custom structure and call InterSystems IRIS methods or routines
    

    1. Run python nativeplaystocksTask1.py to see how to connect to InterSystems IRIS using the Native API. Open nativeplaystocksTask1.py to view the connection string. You will notice it uses these variables to connect:
       Begin code.

       const connection = irisnative.createConnection(ip, port, namespace, username, password)

       End code.
    2. After connecting to InterSystems IRIS, you can explore more of the advantages of the Native API. Run python nativeplaystocksTask6.py
       This code stores stock data in a custom data structure.
       • Run option 2: Store the stock data in a custom structure.
         
       • Run option 3: Retrieve and view the stock data from this custom structure.
         
       • Run option 4: Call population methods within InterSystems IRIS to generate better information for trades.
         
       • Run option 5: Print the version of InterSystems IRIS to the screen. This is retrieved by calling a routine within InterSystems IRIS.
         
       • Run option 6: Quit.
       With the Native API, you can efficiently store data in your own custom data structure, allowing you to answer questions you could not answer using tables. Additionally, you can call class methods and routines from within InterSystems IRIS using the Native API.

    
    
  • Use the standard PyODBC for SQL-based access to relational tables

    1. Run python pyodbcplaystocksTask1.py to see how to connect to InterSystems IRIS using PyODBC. Open pydbcplaystocksTask1.py to view the PyODBC connection string. You will notice it uses these variables to connect:
       Begin code.

       connection_string = "DRIVER={};SERVER={};PORT={};DATABASE={};UID={};PWD={}".format(driver, ip, port, namespace, username, password)

       End code.After connecting to InterSystems IRIS, you can now explore more of the advantages of PyODBC.
    2. Run python pyodbcplaystocksTask7.py.
       This code simulates a stock trading application, allowing you to manage your personal portfolio and see how you would have done selling on a particular date.
       • Run option 1: View the top 10 stocks on 2016-08-12.
         
       • Run option 2: Create the Portfolio table.
         
       • Run option 3: Add three new portfolio items (for AMZN, GOOGL, and EQIX) using a value between the opening and closing price on 2016-08-12.
       • Run option 6: See how much you would have made on your portfolio if you sold on 2017-08-10.
       • Run option 7: Quit.
         

    This code uses standard PyODBC to create, read, update, and delete data within InterSystems IRIS. With the InterSystems IRIS driver, you can easily connect and use PyODBC in the way you expect.

• What's Next?

  What's Next?

  • URLLearning Path: Writing Python Applications with InterSystems (45m)

    Leverage your existing Python coding skills to enhance InterSystems® applications.
    

  • URLDocumentation: Using the Native API for Python

    Learn how to use Native API for global access and to call classmethods
  • URLDocumentation: Using the InterSystems PyODBC bridge

    Learn how to use PyODBC for relational access
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