I am writing this post primarily to gather an informal consensus on how developers are using Python in conjunction with IRIS, so please respond to the poll at the end of this article! In the body of the article, I'll give some background on each choice provided, as well as the advantages for each, but feel free to skim over it and just respond to the poll.

As most of you are probably aware, Python is currently the most popular programming language among developers around the world - and for good reason.

I was wondering what best practice was for using macros in Embedded Python, i.e. iris.execute('$$$MACRO()') or something else. Does anyone have insight into this?

Learn how to design scalable, autonomous AI agents that combine reasoning, vector search, and tool integration using LangGraph.

Too Long; Didn't Read

• AI Agents are proactive systems that combine memory, context, and initiative to automate tasks beyond simple chatbots.
• LangGraph is a framework that enables us to build complex AI workflows, utilizing nodes (tasks) and edges (connections) with built-in state management.

INTRO

Barricade is a tool developed by ICCA Ops to streamline and scale support for FHIR-to-OMOP transformations for InterSystems OMOP. Our clients will be using InterSystems OMOP to transform FHIR data to this OMOP structure. As a managed service, our job is to troubleshoot any issues that come with the transformation process. Barricade is the ideal tool to aid us in this process for a variety of reasons. First, effective support demands knowledge across FHIR standards, the OHDSI OMOP model, and InterSystems-specific operational workflows—all highly specialized areas.

Hey Community!

We're happy to share the next video in the "Code to Care" series on our InterSystems Developers YouTube:

⏯  Chaining LLMs for Better Results using Agentic AI

I am trying to create a database using python. The example shows setting a Name string and a Properties object containing Directory=.

; Use class methods to create an instance
 %SYS>s Name="ABC"
 %SYS>s Properties("Directory")="c:\abc\"
 %SYS>s Status=##Class(Config.Databases).Create(Name,.Properties)
 %SYS>i '$$$ISOK(Status) w !,"Error="_$SYSTEM.Status.GetErrorText(Status)

How do I update and pass the Directory property using Python?

Description

This is a template for a Flask application that can be deployed in IRIS as an native Web Application.

Installation

1. Clone the repository
2. Create a virtual environment
3. Install the requirements
4. Run the docker-compose file

git clone
cd iris-flask-template
python3 -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate
pip install -r requirements.txt
docker-compose up

Usage

The base URL is http://localhost:53795/flask/.

Endpoints

• /iris - Returns a JSON object with the top 10 classes present in the IRISAPP namespace.
• /interop - A ping endpoint to test the interoperability framework of IRIS.

If you're migrating from Oracle to InterSystems IRIS—like many of my customers—you may run into Oracle-specific SQL patterns that need translation.

Take this example:

SELECT (TO_DATE('2023-05-12','YYYY-MM-DD') - LEVEL + 1) AS gap_date
FROM dual
CONNECT BY LEVEL <= (TO_DATE('2023-05-12','YYYY-MM-DD') - TO_DATE('2023-05-02','YYYY-MM-DD') + 1);

In Oracle:

• LEVEL is a pseudo-column used in hierarchical queries (CONNECT BY). It starts at 1 and increments by 1.
• CONNECT BY LEVEL <= (...)

Hello Community

I have previously experimented with embedded Python in IRIS; however, I have not yet had the opportunity to implement IRIS using native Python. In this article, I aim to outline the steps I took to begin learning and implementing IRIS within the Python source. I would also like thank to @Guillaume Rongier and @Luis Angel Pérez Ramos for their help in resolving the issues I encountered during my recent PIP installation of IRIS in Python, which ultimately enabled it to function properly.

Let's begin to write IRIS in python.

Why I've decided to write this

In my last article I've talked about returning values with Python. But returning them is simple, what can make it harder is what I'm going to talk about today: where the value is treated.
 

Python object in IRIS

Following the example of the last aricle, we have the method:

ClassClassMethodAs

Then, we'll have as a return a Python object, that IRIS interprets as  the class %SYS.Python. So if I call the method with two values, like this:

"Hello"

we'll have as returnValue something like "1@%SYS.Python".

For a long time I have wanted to learn the Django framework, but another more pressing project has always taken priority. Like many developers, I use python when it comes to machine learning, but when I first learned web programming PHP was still enjoying primacy, and so when it was time for me to pick up a new complicated framework for creating web applications to publish my machine learning work, I still turned to PHP.

You know that feeling when you get your blood test results and it all looks like Greek? That's the problem FHIRInsight is here to solve. It started with the idea that medical data shouldn't be scary or confusing – it should be something we can all use. Blood tests are incredibly common for checking our health, but let's be honest, understanding them is tough for most folks, and sometimes even for medical staff who don't specialize in lab work. FHIRInsight wants to make that whole process easier and the information more actionable.

Are you using Jupyter Notebooks with IRIS? Are you using the vscode-iris-jupyter-server VS Code extension for your notebooking? If so, please let me know either via direct message or with a comment on this post. I'd like to hear more about how our customers are working with tool specifically, and with data science more generally.

Thanks!

I'm trying to deploy a python/flask application to an Iris4Health container (2025.1) but running into some issues with packages and where they should be installed. 

First one if the flask packages themselves. I tried to installed the flask packages into the python external language server virtual environment, but even doing this when configuring the WSGI application in the web application section, it would complain about not having a WSGI framework. Once I created a custom container and added the flask package at the OS level, I was able to configure the web application without it complaining.

Hi Guys,

I'm a newbie running IRIS in a container (IRIS for UNIX (Ubuntu Server LTS for x86-64 Containers) 2024.3 (Build 217U) Thu Nov 14 2024 17:30:43 EST) and trying to setup Python so I can start working on ML & Autosklearn,my understanding is that IRIS already comes with embedded Python but unable to do something like "import pandas as pd"  in VSCode which looks like I need install a more complete version of Python or packages, so what I'm missing?

This article presents a potential solution for semantic code search in TrakCare using IRIS Vector Search.

Here's a brief overview of results from the TrakCare Semantic code search for the query: "Validation before database object save".

• Code Embedding model 

There are numerous embedding models designed for sentences and paragraphs, but they are not ideal for code specific embeddings.

Three code-specific embedding models were evaluated: voyage-code-2, CodeBERT, GraphCodeBERT

Introducing Smart Clinical Sidechick — the intelligent, no-drama partner your EHR wishes it could be. She reads FHIR data in real time, interprets lab results without ghosting, and explains clinical alerts like she actually cares. Built with GPT-4 brains and YAML sass, she’s not here to replace your main EHR—just to make it look bad. Tired of irrelevant alerts and cryptic warnings? Sidechick serves up real, explainable insights, not vague “elevated risk” vibes. And when your backend crashes, she doesn’t panic—she self-heals.

If you are a customer of the new InterSystems IRIS® Cloud SQL and InterSystems IRIS® Cloud IntegratedML® cloud offerings and want access to the metrics of your deployments and send them to your own Observability platform, here is a quick and dirty way to get it done by sending the metrics to Google Cloud Platform Monitoring (formerly StackDriver).

Hello IRIS Fans and Welcome to IRIS iRacing!

Here were going to take 3 laps of your time and demonstrate how I wired up my Racing SIM to IRIS for "As Real Time as It Gets" Metrics reporting.  I missed the window for the contest, which happens quite often, but I still ended up 3rd I think in the demo race in the video below.

Technical Salad

Below are the technical ingredients for this demonstration for a salad you can post on Instragram.

• Python iRacing SDK ( https://github.com/kutu/pyirsdk/tree/master

Hi, Community!

🐍Great news—you can now use Python to customize your productions and add custom code!

Using Embedded Python in the BPL and DTL Editors

I combined @Rodolfo Pscheidt https://github.com/RodolfoPscheidtJr/ollama-ai-iris with some files from @Guillaume Rongier https://openexchange.intersystems.com/package/iris-rag-demo.

My own project is https://github.com/oliverwilms/ollama-ai-iris

I can run load_data.py and it connects to IRIS (same container).

When I try to run query_data.py https://github.com/oliverwilms/ollama-ai-iris/blob/main/query_data.py , it cannot connect to ollama:

ConnectionError: Failed to connect to Ollama. Please check that Ollama is downloaded, running and accessible.

I wonder if I need to add in query_data.

The InterSystems IRIS is a great data platform and it is met the current features required by the market. In this article, you see the top 10:

Note: this list was updated because many features are added to IRIS in last 3 years (thanks @Kristina Lauer)

I read the article by @Rodolfo Pscheidt Jr:

https://community.intersystems.com/post/ollama-ai-iris

I forked his app and copied selected files from @Guillaume Rongier iris-rag-demo to make it containerized:

ollama-ai-iris/test_conn.py at 3da62770a90e34eff92241abbfc4f2c2a7027898 · oliverwilms/ollama-ai-iris
 

I struggle to understand what each element is or I do not understand why the code does not work:

url = f"iris://teste:teste@localhost:51774/TESTE"
 

Is teste:teste refer to username / password? I tried _SYSTEM:SYS

Is 51774 webserver port? Is TESTE namespace?

I cloned iris-rag-demo from Open Exchange and issued docker-compose up -d. I went to the front end and type in the chat message:

Who was the 46th President of United States of America?

I got a run time error:

RuntimeError: ERROR <Ens>ErrBPTerminated: Terminating BP ChatProcess # due to error: ERROR #5002: ObjectScript error: <PYTHON EXCEPTION> *<class 'RuntimeError'>: <PYTHON EXCEPTION> <class 'ValueError' > ERROR #5002: ObjectScript error: <PYTHON EXCEPTION> *<class 'RuntimeError'

Traceback:

File "/irisdev/app/src/python/rag/app.py", line 28, in process_input agent_text = _service.ask(user_text, rag_enabled) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Interested in sharing your thoughts? Sign up to participate here.

I know that people who are completely new to VS Code, Git, Docker, FHIR, and other tools can sometimes struggle with setting up the environment. So I decided to write an article that walks through the entire setup process step by step to make it easier to get started.

I’d really appreciate it if you could leave a comment at the end - let me know if the instructions were clear, if anything was missing, or if there’s anything else you'd find helpful.

The setup includes:

✅ VS Code – Code editor
✅ Git – Version control system
✅ Docker – Runs an instance of IRIS for Health Community
✅ VS Code REST Client Extension – For running FHIR API queries
✅ Python – For writing FHIR-based scripts
✅ Jupyter Notebooks – For AI and FHIR assignments

Before you begin: Ensure you have administrator privileges on your system.

In addition to reading the guide, you can also follow the steps in the videos:

For Windows

Hello Community,

I got the PROTECT error while running functions. But, I could able to call the classmethods and methods in class definition with classMethodObject, classMethodValue etc.. from python. without any errors
python code

irispy.functionString('fnString''IRISPython'

raise RuntimeError(error_message)
RuntimeError: <PROTECT> *Function not allowed

IRISPython.mac
fnString(fn1) public {
  

​

An experiment on how to use the LangChain framework, IRIS Vector Search, and LLMs to generate IRIS-compatible SQL from user prompts.

This article was based in this notebook. You can run it with a ready to use environment with this application in OpenExchange.

Setup

First, we need to install the necessary libraries:

!pip install --upgrade --quiet langchain langchain-openai langchain-iris pandas

Hello Team,

I got xDBC protocol is not compatible while executing python script. How to fix this error

C:\Users\ak\Desktop\lpyth\iris>C:/Users/ak/AppData/Local/Programs/Python/Python312/python.exe c:/Users/ak/Desktop/lpyth/iris/irisconn.py
An error occurred: connection failed: IRIS xDBC protocol is not compatible

py -m pip list
Package            Version
------------------ ---------
intersystems-iris  3.9.2

importas'hostname'{e}

Thanks!
 

I'm exploring this right now: given a bunch of types defined as Pydantic models, how can I come up with an equivalent %RegisteredObject/%SerialObject and convert to/from (e.g., to support persistence and match validation as much as possible)?

People who know Python better than I do (e.g., your average undergraduate from this decade): is this a stupid idea or a cool idea? Has anyone else done this before?