ML Models results in `AttributeError: ‘OneHotEncoder’ object has no attribute ‘_infrequent_enabled’`

Understanding the Error

The error message “AttributeError: ‘OneHotEncoder’ object has no attribute ‘_infrequent_enabled'” arises when you’re working with the OneHotEncoder class from scikit-learn and encounter an incompatibility between the version of scikit-learn you’re using and the version expected by your code.

Common Causes

Version Incompatibility

The _infrequent_enabled attribute was introduced in a more recent version of scikit-learn. If your code is written for a newer version but your environment uses an older version, you’ll see this error.

Outdated Code

The error could be caused by using outdated code that references this attribute before it was implemented. This occurs when using old code examples or library imports without updating them.

Resolving the Error

1. Update Scikit-learn

The most direct solution is to update scikit-learn to the latest version. You can do this using pip:

pip install --upgrade scikit-learn

2. Adapt Your Code

If updating scikit-learn isn’t feasible or the issue persists, you’ll need to adapt your code to handle the change in functionality.

Identify the Version

Determine the version of scikit-learn in your environment. You can do this using the following code:

import sklearn
print(sklearn.__version__)

Once you know your version, refer to the scikit-learn documentation (https://scikit-learn.org/) for the specific changes related to OneHotEncoder in the relevant version.

3. Alternatives to `_infrequent_enabled`

If your code relies on handling infrequent categories, explore alternative approaches:

• Use the `handle_unknown` parameter in OneHotEncoder.
• Implement custom logic for handling infrequent categories yourself.
• Utilize other encoders like `OrdinalEncoder` if one-hot encoding is not strictly required.

Example Code (Before and After Fix)

Before

from sklearn.preprocessing import OneHotEncoder

encoder = OneHotEncoder(handle_unknown='ignore', infrequent_enabled=True) # ERROR

# ... (rest of your code)

After (Using the `handle_unknown` parameter)

from sklearn.preprocessing import OneHotEncoder

encoder = OneHotEncoder(handle_unknown='ignore')

# ... (rest of your code)

Summary

The ‘AttributeError: ‘OneHotEncoder’ object has no attribute ‘_infrequent_enabled” error signals an incompatibility between your code and the scikit-learn version. Updating your environment or adapting your code will resolve this issue. Remember to always consult the official scikit-learn documentation for the latest changes and best practices.