Raw new at this. Simply trying to run Google's solution to 'wordcount.py'

[Stuart]

Working my way through python 101.  I am attempting to merely run Google's solution to python exercise "wordcount".  What arguments is the command line expecting?  I'm in Powershell, in the right directory, typed in "python wordcount.py bone_number.txt" (which is the txt file I want the code to work on).  Always the same message: " usage: ./wordcount.py {--count | --topcount} file

Exit code:  1"  - - - which I understand is trying to guide me to the light.  Can anyone please further enlighten me?  And please don't feel awkward about 'dumbing down' your answer.

from  https://developers.google.com/edu/python/exercises/basic

[Robert Mandić]

python wordcount.py --count bone_number.txt
python wordcount.py --topcount bone_number.txt

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Lp, Robert

[Stuart]

Thank you for responding.  I typed :  python wordcount.py --count bone_number.txt     but this is the error msg I got on Powershell.  The rest is just proving to myself  that yeah, I'm where I think I'm supposed to be:   

 PS C:\Documents and Settings\Rick\mystuff\google-python-exercises\basic\solution> dir

    Directory: C:\Documents and Settings\Rick\mystuff\google-python-exercises\basic\solution

Mode                LastWriteTime     Length Name

----                -------------     ------ ----

-a---          2/2/2014  10:13 AM        436 bone_number.txt

-a---          2/2/2014   2:55 PM        991 directory_solution.txt

-a---         1/18/2014   5:43 PM       3656 list1.py

-a---         1/18/2014   5:43 PM       2774 list2.py

-a---         1/18/2014   5:43 PM       2995 mimic.py

-a---         1/18/2014   5:43 PM       4081 string1.py

-a---         1/18/2014   5:43 PM       3094 string2.py

-a---          2/2/2014  10:17 AM       3660 testwordcount.py

-a---          2/2/2014  10:18 AM       3163 testwordcount.pyc

-a---          2/2/2014  11:27 AM       3554 testwordcount1.py

-a---          2/2/2014   2:37 PM       3557 wordcount.py

-a---          2/1/2014   7:22 PM       3016 wordcount.pyc

PS C:\Documents and Settings\Rick\mystuff\google-python-exercises\basic\solution> python wordcount.py --count bone_numbe

r.txt

Traceback (most recent call last):

  File "wordcount.py", line 94, in <module>

    word_count_dict(filename)

NameError: name 'filename' is not defined

PS C:\Documents and Settings\Rick\mystuff\google-python-exercises\basic\solution>

[Robert Mandić]

A you haven't modified wordcount.py in this folder?
Because it should work:

$ python wordcount.py  --count /etc/hosts

# 1

127.0.0.1 1

127.0.1.1 1

192.168.0.200 1

192.168.0.250 1

...

[Stuart]

Works  now.  I'm too new to programming to know why.  I added the line:  filename = 'bone_number.txt'   before the first definition and that did the trick.  I was trying to import the txt file as an argument in PS.    I still don't know what "--count" or "--topcount" means in this context in the command line.  Looks like this is going to keep me busy for a while.  Thank you for your assistance.

[Robert Mandić]

Maybe I can explain.

When you call your program, it receives command line arguments stored in a list named sys.argv 
You can try importing sys module and just print it out to test it.

sys.argv[0] is always the name of the program: 'wordcount.py' in this case.

sys.argv[1] is the first argument: '--count' in this case.
sys.argv[2] is the second argument: 'bone_number.txt' in this case.​

The program is checking for the first argument to decide which function it will call later. If you pass '--count' it will execute one function, but if you pass '--topcount' it will call another function.
In your case, the variable filename would be populated with value of sys.argv[2], which holds a value of 'bone_number.txt'.