files over the web

I have a python script that saves info to a .csv file. If two or more ppl are trying to access it the same time will the file lock and prevent one from opening and submitting to it or does it not matter beacuse of the client/server architecture of the webbrowser?
is there a way to circumvent this in python perhaps catching the exception?
do i HAVE TO use a relational database to circumvent this problem? Please say no.

I can't really test this right now but in theory the file should be locked - two file streams can't write to the file at the same time, or if they do your file gets wiped.

Your earlier post might be relivant here too - http://forums.devshed.com/t140081/s.html

You could always try locking the file manually just to be sure.

Another way to do this would be to check if the file is accessable using os.access() although i havn't used this at all:

http://www.python.org/doc/2.3.3/lib/os-file-dir.html

You should also be able to use a try-except block to check if a file is writeable or not.

All options to consider, hope this helps.

Mark.

Thanks for the reply. Sorry about the double post. I didn't receive an email telling me anyone had responded. I think i might just have to use a rdms. Thanks.

Thats ok, not a problem at all. You might want to look at PySQLite for small projects where you really dont need to use MySQL although MySQL is ideal for web applications IMO.

Even if the current DBI is a little long winded for my tastes; again just an oppinion .

Mark.

actaully was thinking about using sqlite. i had just read up on it and it said there was some things that still were not implemented. i'll check it out again. by the way sql lite can hold up to 2 terabytes of info. That is pretty significant. unless other databases hold more. never used a db before.

okay, i had the txt file opened and then i went online and wrote in the form to see if i would get an error when i submitted to the same file. however the infomation was submitted to the file still. does that mean that the file isn't locked and two or more ppl can submit at the same time. I'm really not expecting a lot of traffic on the site. or did i test it wrong.?

Just because you open a file to read or write does not mean you have a lock on it. There are OS specific ways to get a file lock at the system level.
Doing a search for python file lock threw up this:
http://aspn.activestate.com/ASPN/Co...on/Recipe/65203

From what you say - it's not going to be a problem in practice. Just write the logging code in some function. That way if you ever have to upgrade your logging you just change the core of the function.

Grim

for now i just want multiple users to write to the files so i'll just save it as .txt and have it comma delimited then i look at it, i'll save it as a csv file. that'll be easier for me - for now. later i'll look into implementing a database. Still weird how a csv file will lock and a text file won't.