set column of dataframe as index code example

Example 1: pandas set a column as index

df = pd.DataFrame({'month': [1, 4, 7, 10],
                   'year': [2012, 2014, 2013, 2014],
                   'sale': [55, 40, 84, 31]})

df.set_index('month')

Example 2: set column as index

>>> df = df.set_index('Identifier')
>>> df.head()
                Place of Publication Date of Publication  \
206                           London         1879 [1878]
216         London; Virtue & Yorston                1868
218                           London                1869
472                           London                1851
480                           London                1857

                        Publisher  \
206              S. Tinsley & Co.
216                  Virtue & Co.
218         Bradbury, Evans & Co.
472                 James Darling
480          Wertheim & Macintosh

                                                        Title     Author  \
206                         Walter Forbes. [A novel.] By A. A      A. A.
216         All for Greed. [A novel. The dedication signed...  A., A. A.
218         Love the Avenger. By the author of “All for Gr...  A., A. A.
472         Welsh Sketches, chiefly ecclesiastical, to the...  A., E. S.
480         [The World in which I live, and my place in it...  A., E. S.

                                                   Flickr URL
206         http://www.flickr.com/photos/britishlibrary/ta...
216         http://www.flickr.com/photos/britishlibrary/ta...
218         http://www.flickr.com/photos/britishlibrary/ta...
472         http://www.flickr.com/photos/britishlibrary/ta...
480         http://www.flickr.com/photos/britishlibrary/ta...