Set a Vector input as a variable in QGIS Tool Script

Question

In a QGIS script, how do you set a Vector input (via your tool's GUI) as a variable which can then be used in subsequent processing in your tool's script?

I know how to set a map Layer as a variable, for example:

 pts = QgsMapLayerRegistry.instance().mapLayersByName('civic_pts')[0]

But instead of hard-wiring my file inputs like that, I want the flexibility of setting my inputs via the tool's GUI.

I've tried:

 ##Input_civic_pts=vector

...and then tried using it later in the script, for example...

 for feat in Input_civic_pts.getFeatures():

...but this generates an error.

The same script works fine when I hard-wire the civic_pts file as above.

Obviously I don't know how to convert an Input to a scripting variable.

Answer 1

The

##Input_civic_pts=vector

doesn't mean the layer object, you have to use a function to get the layer object itself:

inputLayer = processing.getObject(Input_civic_pts)

See the documentation here: http://docs.qgis.org/2.0/ca/docs/user_manual/processing/console.html