Solves issue #3

Author: lopezco

python/helper_functions.py

@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+from pandas.api.types import is_string_dtype, is_numeric_dtype, is_categorical_dtype
+
+
+def metadata_from_dataframe(df):
+    """Build metadata from a dataset
+
+    Args:
+        df (:class:`pandas.DataFrame`):
+            File path of the serialized model. It must be a file that can be
+            loaded using :mod:`joblib`
+
+    Returns:
+        dict:
+            Information about the variables of the dataset.
+
+    Raises:
+        ValueError: If a type of variable is not handled by this function
+    """
+    metadata = []
+    for c in df.columns:
+        if is_categorical_dtype(df[c]):
+            tmp = {'name': c, 'type': 'category',
+                'categories': sorted(df[c].dtype.categories.values.tolist())})
+        elif is_numeric_dtype(df[c]):
+            tmp = {'name': c, 'type': 'numeric'}
+        elif is_string_dtype(df[c]):
+            tmp = {'name': c, 'type': 'string'}
+        else:
+            raise ValueError('Unknown type for {}'.format(c))
+        metadata.append(tmp)
+    return metadata