How to resolve QGIS 3 syntax error from processing.algorithmHelp?

Question

I am using QGIS 3.4.3-Madeira and OSX Mojave 10.14.3. I am trying to use QGIS 3 through the Python Console. I am following the QGIS 3 documentation.

I am trying to determine the syntax of the Split Vector Layer function. I entered this code into the QGIS Python Console:

import processing
processing.algorithmHelp(qgis:splitvectorlayer)

I got this this syntax error:

    Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.6/lib/python3.6/code.py", line 64, in runsource
    code = self.compile(source, filename, symbol)
  File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.6/lib/python3.6/codeop.py", line 168, in __call__
    return _maybe_compile(self.compiler, source, filename, symbol)
  File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.6/lib/python3.6/codeop.py", line 99, in _maybe_compile
    raise err1
  File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.6/lib/python3.6/codeop.py", line 87, in _maybe_compile
    code1 = compiler(source + "\n", filename, symbol)
  File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.6/lib/python3.6/codeop.py", line 133, in __call__
    codeob = compile(source, filename, symbol, self.flags, 1)
  File "<input>", line 1
    processing.algorithmHelp(qgis:splitvectorlayer)
                                 ^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax

I also tried the following but I got the same syntax error:

import processing
processing.algorithmHelp(native.splitvectorlayer)

How do I find the syntax and parameters for this function?

Answer 1

Nearly there, you're just missing quotes:

processing.algorithmHelp("qgis:splitvectorlayer")

Notice the " around the name of the function. This tells Python that the text you're passing to processing.algorithmHelp is a string. Without the quotes Python will attempt to interpret the text which is why you get a 'syntax error'.

Answer 2

Derp. I needed to add quotes like so:

import processing
processing.algorithmHelp('qgis:splitvectorlayer')

Hope this helps somebody!