python_snippets

# useful debugging on console
>>> import os
>>> os.environ['TDSDUMP'] = 'stdout'
>>>
>>> import pymssql
>>> conn = pymssql.connect(server="sqlserverhost")

# py3-extended unpacking
a, *b, c = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

a, b = function

In [1]: data = 'col1,col2,col3\na,b,1\na,b,2\nc,d,3'

In [2]: pd.read_csv(StringIO(data))
Out[2]: 
  col1 col2  col3
0    a    b     1
1    a    b     2
2    c    d     3

In [3]: pd.read_csv(StringIO(data), usecols=lambda x: x.upper() in ['COL1', 'COL3'])
Out[3]: 
  col1  col3
0    a     1
1    a     2
2    c     3