How to Solve Error Message TypeError at /my_function/ my_function() missing 1 required positional argument: ‘name’ when running Django Application

Introduction

So, this article is the continuation of one of the previous article. But precisely, rather than a continuation, it is actually an article which use another previous article as an example. That previous article is ‘How to Call a Function and Sending Parameter Value by clicking a Button in the Django Template File from a Django Application‘. In that article, the main focus is to be able to click a button in a Django template file as a page representation. After clicking the button, it will send a parameter value to a function exist in the Django application and process it further. But upon that process, an error appear. It appear upon sending parameter value from the page represented by a Django template file named ‘index.html’. That parameter sent to the function available in Django application. The following are the description of the error message :

TypeError at /my_function/

my_function() missing 1 required positional argument: 'name'

my_function() missing 1 required positional argument: 'name'

How to Solve Error Message TypeError at /my_function/ my_function() missing 1 required positional argument: ‘name’

Upon executing the Django application for sending a parameter value by clicking a button, the error appear. Apparently, the error already hinting the cause. It is pointing out the type error at /my_function/ which is one of the URL of the Django application available. That URL will execute a function with the name of ‘my_function()’. It complains that it is missing 1 required positional argument: ‘name’. Apparently, that is the cause of the current error message in this article. So, the following is the actual steps for solving it :

1. First of all, just check the function itself. It is a function with the name of ‘my_function()’. Normally, all of the function exist in the ‘views.py’ file of the application folder. Below is the content of ‘my_function()’ exist in ‘views.py’ file :

   def my_function(request, name):
       print("This is a click request from a Django template file with an argument : ", name)
   

   In other words, the function ‘my_function’ need two additional parameter. The first one is the ‘HttpRequest’ object and the other one is the ‘name’ parameter.

2. After checking the ‘my_function’ function, just take a look at the URL where it is defining the access for retrieving request to execute function ‘my_function’. It is available in the ‘urls.py’ file as follows :

   from django.urls import path
   from apps import views
   urlpatterns = [
       path('', views.index, name="index"),
       path('my_function/', views.my_function, name="my_function"),
   ]

   Apparently, the definition of ‘URL’ my_function’ does not have any additional value in the parameter. In that case, this is the first one which is very important for revision. Since in the function, there is a requirement to print the value, just define a parameter in the string format as follows :

       path('my_function/', views.my_function, name="my_function"),

3. Furthermore, just check the page or the Django template file which is going to execute on calling the URL for calling the method. In this context, it exist in a Django template file with the name of ‘index.html’. Below is the actual part of the file which is highlighting only on the part executing the URL with the name of ‘my_function’ :

       <a href="{% url 'my_function' %}"><button class="btn btn-primary" type="button">Call Function</button></a>

   Unfortunately, the definition does not include any value as parameter at all. Actually, this is also the cause which is triggering the error message. It is exist in this part “{% url ‘my_function’ %}”. Whenever the button is clicked, it will also automatically clicked and triggered the hyperlink to call the URL of ‘my_fucntion’ without having to send any additional parameter value. That is being said, just revise the URL so that it will have an additional parameter value. For an example as in the following revision :

       <a href="{% url 'my_function' 'My Parameter' %}"><button class="btn btn-primary" type="button">Call Function</button></a>

4. Finally, execute the Django application once more. In summary, just click the button in the page. If there are no more errors, it will run properly. As it run in the article ‘How to Call a Function and Sending Parameter Value by clicking a Button in the Django Template File from a Django Application‘.