# Python API semantic type under the hood?
**URL:** https://forum.qiime2.org/t/python-api-semantic-type-under-the-hood/13711
**Category:** User Support
**Tags:** python-api
**Created:** [February 20, 2020, 8:10pm UTC](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/python-api-semantic-type-under-the-hood/13711 "2020-02-20T20:10:15Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 6
### Author:  [@thermokarst](https://forum.qiime2.org/u/thermokarst)
#### Post date: [March 6, 2020, 4:30pm UTC](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/python-api-semantic-type-under-the-hood/13711/6 "2020-03-06T16:30:57Z")
Hello @jwdebelius, sorry for the slow reply!
> [@jwdebelius](#):
>
> Specifically, I’m trying to figure out how to make a `FeatureData[Sequence]` type out of a pandas Series where my index is the sequence identifier and the value is the sequence without quality information.
Fortunately there is a [transformer](https://dev.qiime2.org/latest/glossary/#term-transformer) defined in q2-types that does this:
>
I only share the snippet above so that you can get a sense of where those kinds of things might be defined, code-wise.
Since transformers are defined in a plugin, but then registered for use within an entire deployment of QIIME 2, it is usually easiest to look up the transformer from an instance of the [`sdk.PluginManager`](https://dev.qiime2.org/latest/api-reference/sdk/#qiime2.sdk.PluginManager):
```python
# Rather than importing an individual plugin, we
# can get information about the _entire_ environment
# by using
from qiime2 import sdk, Artifact
from qiime2.plugin import util
import pandas as pd
# This instance of the PluginManager will be
# our "Virgil" on this descent into madness.
pm = sdk.PluginManager()
# We need to build a better interface for this, but in
# the meantime this should work... I am looking up
# the view type that you want to go _from_.
for fmt in pm.transformers[pd.Series].keys():
print(fmt. __name__ )
print()
# Okay, so it looks like we have a transformer:
# from pd.Series -> DNAFASTAFormat
# Let's use it!
data = pd.Series(['AAAA', 'GGGG'], index=['f1', 'f2'])
fasta_format_record = pm.formats['DNAFASTAFormat']
fasta_file = util.transform(data, to_type=fasta_format_record.format)
with fasta_file.open() as fh:
print(fh.read())
# Two important things to note here:
# 1) The exercise of "searching" for transformers
# above isn't a requirement for just trying to
# invoke a transformer.
# 2) This example just uses QIIME 2 machinery, without
# actually creating a QIIME 2 result (Artifact).
# Alternatively, if you need an Artifact, you can just import
# the series, invoking the transformer automatically
artifact = Artifact.import_data('FeatureData[Sequence]',
data, view_type=pd.Series)
print(artifact)
```
Stdout:
```python
FirstDifferencesFormat
AlphaDiversityFormat
TSVTaxonomyFormat
DNAFASTAFormat
BooleanSeriesFormat
PredictionsFormat
>f1
AAAA
>f2
GGGG
```
We are currently working on making modifications to the SDK to allow for a more streamlined transformer lookup (maybe landing in 2020?). Also, our [CZI-funded Library work](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/qiime-2-czi-essential-open-source-software-for-science-announcement/12604) aims to expose information (on a plugin level) about what formats, types, and transformers are registered.
Hope that helps!
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