If you’re looking to use the QANTA system or simply want to download its dataset, you’re in the right place! This guide will walk you through how to effectively access the QANTA dataset using a simple script. We’ll break it down into easy steps, make sure you’re prepared with the right dependencies, and provide troubleshooting tips along the way.
Step 1: Set Up Your Environment
Before diving into the QANTA dataset, ensure you have Python 3.6 and the Click package installed. You can easily install Click using pip:
pip install click
Step 2: Downloading the Dataset
Now that your environment is ready, you’ll want to use the `dataset.py` script to download data. Here are the commands you can use:
- Download only the QANTA dataset:
dataset.py download - Download preprocessed Wikidata:
dataset.py download wikidata - Download various comparison datasets:
dataset.py download plotting
By default, the data will be stored in the data/external/datasets directory, but you can change this with the --local-qanta-prefix option.
Step 3: Understanding the File Structure
Once you download the dataset, you’ll find several files. Here’s what each of them contains:
- qanta.unmapped.2018.04.18.json: Contains all questions without mapped Wikipedia answers.
- qanta.processed.2018.04.18.json: A processed version with additional fields for convenience.
- qanta.mapped.2018.04.18.json: Questions tied to their corresponding Wikipedia pages.
- qanta.2018.04.18.sqlite3: This is the SQLite version of the previous mapped dataset.
- qanta.train.2018.04.18.json: Training data with matched answers.
- qanta.dev.2018.04.18.json: Development data with matched questions.
- qanta.test.2018.04.18.json: Test data that mirrors the mapped dataset.
Step 4: Setting Up Dependencies
Installing the required dependencies into a virtual environment is essential. Use the following command:
poetry install
Once installed, access your virtual environment using:
poetry shell
Step 5: Running QANTA
QANTA uses both .cli.py and Luigi for running its commands. Here’s how to start:
luigi --local-scheduler --module qanta.pipeline.preprocess DownloadData
This command downloads and preprocesses necessary data.
Step 6: Configuration
The configuration for QANTA can be done via environment variables and two YAML files: qanta.yaml and qanta-defaults.yaml. Copy the defaults and modify as needed.
cp qanta-defaults.yaml qanta.yaml
Troubleshooting Common Issues
If you encounter any issues while downloading or using the dataset, here are a few troubleshooting tips:
- Python version mismatch: Set
PYSPARK_PYTHONto use Python 3. - ImportError: No module named pyspark: Make sure to export your PYTHONPATH correctly.
- Locale errors: Run the following commands:
export LC_ALL=en_US.UTF-8
export LANG=en_US.UTF-8
python -m nltk.download(wordnet)
python -m spacy download en_core_web_lg if you encounter missing model errors.For more insights, updates, or to collaborate on AI development projects, stay connected with fxis.ai.
Conclusion
Following these steps should get you well on your way to utilizing the QANTA dataset. Should you run into any issues, the troubleshooting section will be your guide. Remember, QANTA configuration is flexible — feel free to adjust it to your needs!
At fxis.ai, we believe that such advancements are crucial for the future of AI, as they enable more comprehensive and effective solutions. Our team is continually exploring new methodologies to push the envelope in artificial intelligence, ensuring that our clients benefit from the latest technological innovations.

