[FIXED] Returning two arrays from a python script in Django and utilizing in Ajax simultaneously

Issue

I have a python script running in views.py within Django which returns two very large string arrays, x and y. It currently is able to run off a button press within my index.html.

def python_file(request):
    final()
    return HttpResponse("ran")

The ajax code I have running to do the button press.

<script src="http://code.jquery.com/jquery-3.3.1.min.js" integrity="sha256-FgpCb/KJQlLNfOu91ta32o/NMZxltwRo8QtmkMRdAu8=" crossorigin="anonymous"></script>

    <script>
            function gotoPython(){
                $.ajax({
                  url: "/python_file",
                 context: document.body
                }).done(function() {
                 alert('finished python script');
                });
            }
    </script>

It's also attached to the URLS.py. I know there's no array being returned right now, because I am unsure how to run the script, get the data simultaneously, then add it to the page without refreshing the page. So, I am asking what would be the best practice to do what I described. Any help would be appreciated.

Solution

This is generally what I do, not sure if it's best practice, but I return it with Json

I included two examples, and POST and a GET.
I also included some other stuff I usually return status and msg. When I catch an error or have an invalid POST I send back status = False and msg = '{error message}, then I can show that error message in the front end with Javascript. I keep this standardized in my project, but you do you.

def python_file(request):

    xArray, yArray = final()

    import json
    data = {
        'status': True, #  True=All Good. False=Caught Error but didn't crash.
        'x': xArray,
        'y': yArray,
        'msg': 'returning x and y arrays',
    }
    return HttpResponse(
        json.dumps(data),
        content_type="application/json"
    )

function gotoPython(){
    $.ajax({
        method: 'GET',
        url: '/python_file',
        success: function(data){
            console.log(data)

            if (data['status']){

                // do things with arrays
                data['x']
                data['y']

            }else{
                console.log('Server Replied with Error, but did not Crash');
                console.log(data['msg']);
            };
        },
        error: function(event,xhr,settings,errorText){
            // general `xhr.status` Key for common errors
            // 0    = Server didn't Reply (Server Down)
            // 400  = Bad Request         (Syntax Error)
            // 403  = Forbidden           (Login Token Expired or not in Group)
            // 403  = Not Found           (Invalid Url)
            // 500  = Server Error        (Django Crash)
        },
    });
};



function gotoPythonWithData(){
    // if you wanted to POST data to this function you'd just do
    //   Note: Requires csrfmiddlewaretoken in template 
    //      Throw this anywhere (it's hidden): {% csrf_token %}

    submitData = {
        'return_item_count': 25,
        'csrfmiddlewaretoken': $('[name=\'csrfmiddlewaretoken\']').val(),
    };

    $.ajax({
        method: 'POST',
        url: '/python_file',
        data: submitData,
        success: function(data){
            if (data['status']{
                // do stuff
            }else{
                console.log(data['msg']);
            };
        },
        error: function(event,xhr,settings,errorText){
        },
    });
};

Note: Some things like, Django Decimal objects, can not be be put into a Json Dump. In the Decimal example you've got to turn them into a Float or an Int

Answered By - Nealium