Having Problem Run Python script when variables defined external to script in PAD

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Posted on by Steve48

431

This script works with variables defined in the script.

This script works

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

CriteriaList=[ "probable", "red" ]
MyList=["no help", "help", "not probable", "probable" ,  "red", "not red", "help me", "something different"]
CleanedList = []
for text in MyList:
    if not any(criteria in text for criteria in CriteriaList):
        CleanedList.append(text)
print(CleanedList)

output from working script

I wanted to define variables externally in PAD but this script doesn't work.

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

CleanedList = []
for text in %MyList%:
if not any(criteria in text for criteria in %CriteriaList%):
CleanedList.append(text)
print(CleanedList)

Display Message is shown below. There is no script error

Here is how the external variables are set

Categories:

Power Automate Desktop

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Agnius Bartninkas Most Valuable Professional on at

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This is because the list syntax in PAD is different from Python. Instead, try using Join text on your list in PAD to convert it into a string. Use ", " as the delimiter (double quotes, a comma and another double quotes).

Then pass it into Python as follows:

for text in ["%JoinedText%"]:

This will result in Python interpreting it properly.

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Steve48 431 on at

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Hi @Agnius
Still getting error. You can see updated flow and error in screenshot.
Here is updated script:
----------------------------------
CleanedList = []
for text in ["%MyListJoined%"]:
if not any(criteria in text for criteria in ["%CriteriaListJoined%"]):
CleanedList.append(text)
print(CleanedList)
Thanks for response- Steve

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Nived_Nambiar 18,129 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at

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Hi @Steve48

Since you are passing joined string to the python script as input, then you have to split the same within python script to make things work 🙂

see and try this modfied script :

I am assuming that you have joined the string which is passed as input to python script is seperated by comma ,

So i am splitting it comma as you see in split method in python script, you can change it accordingly to your need 🙂

CleanedList = [] for text in "%MyListJoined%".split(','): if not any(criteria in text for criteria in "%CriteriaListJoined%".split(',')): CleanedList.append(text) print(CleanedList)

Let me know whether it works for you 🙂

Thanks & Regards,
Nived N 🚀

LinkedIn: Nived N's LinkedIn
YouTube: Nived N's YouTube Channel

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Steve48 431 on at

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Hi @Nived_Nambiar @Agnius
Revised script but still getting error

CleanedList = [] for text in "%MyListJoined%".split(','): if not any(criteria in text for criteria in "%CriteriaListJoined%".split(',')): CleanedList.append(text) print(CleanedList)

Hi @Nived_Nambiar @Agnius Updated script but still getting error as shown in screenshot:

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Agnius Bartninkas Most Valuable Professional on at

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If you do it with .split() in Python, avoid using double quotes in the delimiter in Join text. Just join them over a comma and then use a comma to split it in Python. The double quotes now make Python read "[" as a string and then it encounters the word no outside of quotes, which causes it to break.

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Agnius Bartninkas Most Valuable Professional on at

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P.S. If this is the actual script you intend to use, I'm not quite sure why you want to do it in Python. You're still building nested loops in there and you can do exactly the same (without really losing much in terms of efficiency) within native actions in PAD.

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Steve48 431 on at

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Hi @AG, cc @Nived_Nambiar I implemented your (Agnius') suggestion but still getting error. This is not actual script. It is a test script so I could set the basic approach for actual code. The reason I am attempting to do in Python is that PAD was painfully slow. I thought Python would be faster. Is this true? Below are screenshots that show my latest code.
CleanedList = [] for text in "%MyListJoined%".split(','): if not any(criteria in text for criteria in "%CriteriaListJoined%".split(',')): CleanedList.append(text) print(CleanedList)

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Agnius Bartninkas Most Valuable Professional on at

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When you're creating the lists using Set variable, you need to encapsulate the entire string in %%. What you're doing right now is not actually creating a list, but a string instead. It should look like %["probable","red","help"]%

Alternatively, since you need it as a string anyway, you could also avoid creating it as a list and then using Join text. Simply use Set variable, but remove the square brackets and the quotation marks. Simply leave the text values separated by a comma.

Then send that to the Python script and use .split() on it.

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Steve48 431 on at

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Hi @Agnius That worked! Thank you that was a big help. When I'm doing my actual flows, when I run into a problem, often I create a separate test flow to simulate the problem. In this case my actual flow involved iterating a list. That's why I used lists instead of strings in this example.

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