generating tables from external sources

[jlgerber]

I have a python script which prints data to stdout and it looks exactly like the documented format for tables. However, it does not generate a table. Likewise, when capturing the output to a variable and subsequently echoing the contents of the variable - no luck. Is this supposed to work? I am printing to stdout without a trailing carriage return. Is there something else required?

[rgwood]

Hi, it's hard to know exactly what you're trying without seeing an example. But generally the easiest way to create a Nu table from text is by using one of the from commands (type help from to see them all). For example:

python3 my_python_script_that_returns_json.py | from json

[fdncred]

@jlgerber if you want to generate a table in nushell from an external source there are a few ways to do it.

1. use data that is represented by a table like .csv, .yaml, .toml, .json, or our nuon format
2. use data that uses record literals like { key: a value: 1 } and wrap it in brackets like [{ key: a value: 1}
3. use data that uses table literals like [[key value]; [a 1]]
4. use data that is spatially delimited and then use from ssv or detect columns

[jlgerber]

so for #2 / #3 how does one convert a string into record or table literals?

[jlgerber]

as a concrete example, here is what i am printing to stdout

[{'type': 'Asset', 'id': 13064, 'code': 'Book Illustration'}]

I realize that isn't valid json (just printing a list of dicts). I guess i can convert it to json and print it out... which works!
so following rgwood's advice and doing a 'pycomd | from json' for the win