# DataFrame vs. Pandas (vs. Excel...), e.g. to refer to previous row

**URL:** <https://discourse.julialang.org/t/dataframe-vs-pandas-vs-excel-e-g-to-refer-to-previous-row/38094>\
**Category:** General Usage\
**Created:** [April 23, 2020, 4:18pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/dataframe-vs-pandas-vs-excel-e-g-to-refer-to-previous-row/38094 "2020-04-23T16:18:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 6

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**Author:** ![kevbonham](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/kevbonham/32/216165_2.png) [@kevbonham](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/kevbonham)\
**Post date:** [April 23, 2020, 5:39pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/dataframe-vs-pandas-vs-excel-e-g-to-refer-to-previous-row/38094/6 "2020-04-23T17:39:38Z")

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Quoting from the thing I linked above:

> [@Please read: make it easier to help you](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/please-read-make-it-easier-to-help-you/14757/1):
>
> 1. 
> - **Post** [**quoted code**](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/psa-how-to-quote-code-with-backticks/7530) by enclosing code blocks in triple-backticks ````` :
> 
> ````julia
> ```julia
> function f(x, y)
> x + y
> end
> ```
> 
> ````
> 
> …
> 
> 1. Do your best to make your example **self-contained** (“minimal working example”, **MWE** ), so that it runs (or gets to the error that you want help with) as is. This means including package loading (e.g. `using ThatPackage` ) and any **data** that the code operates on. If your data is large or proprietary, generate **example data** if possible and include that.
> 2. **Simplify** your code to the smallest piece of code that still shows your problem. This step takes the most effort but is the most important for fixing your problem. Short, simple examples tend to get answers quickly.

The stuff you put is a start, but because I don’t know what your `df` is, it can’t run. Sometimes, it’s as easy as doing `df = DataFrame(a=repeat([:x,:y], 5), b=rand(10))`. But it’s important to have code that runs, and a clear indication of what you want.

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_[View the full topic](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/dataframe-vs-pandas-vs-excel-e-g-to-refer-to-previous-row/38094)._