How to filter multiple dataframe columns by same criteria with Python

Question

I am trying to search for a single criteria throughout multiple dataframe columns using Python. The script I am using is not giving me the output I would hope for. The code is the following:

df = df[df['Account Category' or 'Account Category 2' or 'Account Category 3'] == "Amazon.com and Pantry"]

The criteria I am searching for appears in multiple columns. However, with this code, it is only showing that criteria for the first column. Any help would be appreciated

Charles · Accepted Answer · 2019-02-07 03:06:55Z

1

Essentially, instead of saying "I want any of these 3 columns to equal something", you generally say "I want col1 to equal something, or col2 to equal something, or col 3 ..."

In pandas, you express that by combining boolean expressions like this, using | for or and & for and:

value = 'Amazon.com and Pantry'
filtered = df.loc[
    (df['Account Category'] == value) 
    | (df['Account Category 2'] == value) 
    | (df['Account Category 3'] == value)]

The pandas documentation is really good, here is a link to the relevant section explaining boolean indexing, which is what you're trying to do!

edited Feb 7, 2019 at 3:06

answered Feb 7, 2019 at 3:01

Charles

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2 Comments

Brandon Bertelsen Over a year ago

Great answer. For complex conditions it's a good idea to create them as variables c1, c2, c3, etc. Then df.loc[c1 | c2 | c3]. Readability! :)

Charles Over a year ago

Good point. Saving the mask like that also improves speed if it needs to be reused down the road!

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