python script for attribute table field calculator

FaithWebster

I'm using ArcMap 10.2. I have 2 columns in a joined table that I need to compare. They need to have the exact same content, and there are about 3,000 rows. I tried this: (changed field names for security)

[column1] ==!column3!
   return yes
else:
   return no

the Field calculation failed. I think I'm forgetting something really basic in the python script. I would appreciate any advice. 

Thank you!

blake.terhune

When using an if statement, you probably have to use the field calculator code block option. You also mixed up the field name syntax between VB and Python.

code block:

<SPAN class="keyword token">def</SPAN> <SPAN class="token function">compareCalc</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>col1<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> col3<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="keyword token">if</SPAN> col1 <SPAN class="operator token">==</SPAN> col3<SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="keyword token">return</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">'yes'</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="keyword token">else</SPAN><SPAN class="punctuation token">:</SPAN>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <SPAN class="keyword token">return</SPAN> <SPAN class="string token">'no'</SPAN>‍‍‍‍‍<SPAN class="line-numbers-rows"><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN><SPAN>‍</SPAN></SPAN>

expression:

compareCalc<SPAN class="punctuation token">(</SPAN>!column1!<SPAN class="punctuation token">,</SPAN> !column3!<SPAN class="punctuation token">)</SPAN>‍<SPAN class="line-numbers-rows"><SPAN>‍</SPAN></SPAN>