# Loading data with python
**URL:** https://discourse.paraview.org/t/loading-data-with-python/768
**Category:** ParaView Support
**Created:** [October 19, 2018, 2:17pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/loading-data-with-python/768 "2018-10-19T14:17:17Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@cjd927](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/cjd927)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2018, 2:17pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/loading-data-with-python/768/1 "2018-10-19T14:17:17Z")
Hi,
I’m using python scripts to automate the loading and slicing of data files. The data I am reading in is stored as point data. The problem I would like to solve is that I don’t always know the variable names that I am trying to load before I run my scripts. When I use the ParaView GUI, I can check the box next to point arrays to have it select all the variables when loading data. I can even go into the settings and check the “Load All Variables” box in the GUI and all of the point array variables will be prechecked when I load them. However when I use python to script this, I have to say something like the following:
dataFile = VisItTecplotBinaryReader(FileName=[fname])
dataFile.PointArrayStatus = [‘Density’, ‘Pressure’, ‘etc’]
However, I have to already know that ‘Density’ and ‘Pressure’ are variables in my dataset so that I can load them in this fashion. Is there a way to load all of the variables in this fashion without specifying the unique variable names? Thanks for your help!
---
### Author:  [@banesullivan](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/banesullivan)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2018, 6:11pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/loading-data-with-python/768/2 "2018-10-23T18:11:42Z")
To access all of the available choices and their current status, you need to get the associated `Info` object which will have a list of the array name then the boolean status.
_Note: I do not have any sample VisItTecplot files to try this on but it works in this manner for other readers that have a checklist for data arrays._
```auto
>>> reader = VisItTecplotBinaryReader(FileName=[fname])
>>> # Which arrays are available?
>>> reader.GetProperty('PointArrayStatusInfo') # or reader.GetProperty('PointArrayInfo')
['Density', '0', 'Pressure', '0', 'foo', '0', 'goo', '0']
```
Then you can get that list and use it to activate all data arrays:
```auto
status = reader.GetProperty('PointArrayStatusInfo')
dataFile.PointArrayStatus = [status[i] for i in range(0, len(status), 2)]
```
Let me know if that does/doesn’t work: if it doesn’t, post an example file and I’ll make it work!
---
### Author:  [@cjd927](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/cjd927)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2018, 8:02pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/loading-data-with-python/768/3 "2018-10-29T20:02:43Z")
Using this method with the reader.GetProperty(‘PointArrayInfo’) option worked perfectly! Thanks for the help.