Description

get() missing 1 required positional argument ‘index1’ ?

### Debugging the `get()` Method: Missing 1 Required Positional Argument ‘index1’

If you’ve ever worked with Tkinter in Python and encountered the message `TypeError: get() missing 1 required positional argument: ‘index1’`, you could be facing a common issue among beginners and advanced users alike. This error usually arises when working with the `tkinter.Text` widget and attempting to collect values from a text box.

To replicate a situation where you’d face this error, consider a scenario where you have a textbox and you are employing the `get()` method to capture the text entered by the user in the Text widget. The `get()` method for Text widgets in Tkinter is different from that of other widgets. It requires two parameters: the starting and ending indices from where you want to retrieve the text.

#### Common Pitfall: Ignoring the Indices

The error `TypeError: get() missing 1 required positional argument: ‘index1’` occurs because you are not supplying the necessary positional argument, which in this case is the starting index of the text in the `tkinter.Text` widget.

#### Understanding `get()` for `tkinter.Text` Widgets
The `get()` method for `tkinter.Text` needs two parameters, with the second being optional, but in practice, you will typically use both:

– `index1`: This is the starting position of the text you’re trying to retrieve. It’s formatted as `’1.0’`, which means you are starting from the first line, character zero.
– `index2`: The ending position of the text, `’end-1c’` suggests you want to read until the end of the text, and subtract 1 character to avoid getting an extra newline at the end.

#### Example of Fixing the `TypeError: get() missing 1 required positional argument: ‘index1’` Error

Here is a corrected example on how to use the `get()` method correctly to avoid this error:

“`python
import tkinter as tk
from tkinter import Text, Button

def retrieve_input():
# Correct usage of the get() method
dialog = textbox1.get(1.0, “end-1c”)
subject = textbox2.get(1.0, “end-1c”)
print(dialog, subject)

window = tk.Tk()
window.title(“Example Tkinter Text Widget”)
window.geometry(‘600×400’)

textbox1 = Text(window, height=2, width=30)
textbox1.pack()
textbox2 = Text(window, height=2, width=30)
textbox2.pack()

button = Button(window, text=”Get Text”, command=retrieve_input)
button.pack()

window.mainloop()
“`

In this snippet, `1.0` defines the starting position, line 1, character 0, and `’end-1c’` makes sure we avoid an extra newline by reading until the end of the text and removing 1 character.

#### General Tip

Ensure that whenever you’re working with the `tkinter.Text` widget’s `get()` method, you provide the necessary indices as described. It’s also important to understand what `tkinter.Entry.get()` (which retrieves the entire text) and `tkinter.Text.get()` (which takes indices to specify the range of the text to retrieve) do, and use them appropriately depending on your requirement.

In summary, the `TypeError: get() missing 1 required positional argument: ‘index1’` error is an indication that the `get()` method of the `tkinter.Text` widget is not getting all the indices that it needs to correctly retrieve the text. Pay close attention to supplying the correct start and end indices when invoking the `get()` method to avoid this error.