open file in append mode

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August 6th, 2003, 01:34 AM

Wizard2003

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open file in append mode

Hi all,

does anybody know a possiblitiy to open a file in append mode and change the write position in the file?
e.g. I open a file in append mode:

Code:

fh = open("bla.txt", "a")

Now I want to write a line in the file but not at the end of the file but one or two lines before the end.
Is this possible?

August 6th, 2003, 10:27 AM

sacrilege

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As far as I know if you open the file in append mode you can only write to the end of the file. To do what you want you must open with 'r+' and then use the file-object's seek() method to set the pointer where you want.

I haven't actually used Python to do this so I'm basing this on PHP, but from what I can tell they use the same underlying C mechanisms anyway so it should behave the same way.

Last edited by sacrilege : August 6th, 2003 at 10:34 AM.

August 6th, 2003, 11:38 AM

percivall

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I think sacrilege is right. File iss pretty low-level or basic, and you don't keep anything in buffer when appending, writing or reading.

It's easy though. Just put everything after the place you intend to write from in a buffer, then write the buffer back to the file after you've written what you want.

August 6th, 2003, 02:02 PM

netytan

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Hi wizard,

this should do what you wanted.. It's only a very basic idead! and has no error handlind and etc. but it works.

1. read in the file and split it on every new line
2. make two lists containing the data up to the line before where you want to append your data.
3. insert the string write into the fist list using append
4. open the file for wring and write the contents of both lists joined with a new line.
5 and your done, you've just appended to a specific place in a file.

>>>line = 3
>>>string = 'insert this string'
>>>file = open('file.txt', 'r').read().split('\n')
>>>a = file[:line]
>>>b = file[line:]
>>>a.append(string)
>>>open('file.txt', 'w').write('\n'.join(a + b))

I made this into a function which works roughly the same way.

Code:

def sappend(file, string, line = 0):
	file = open(file, 'r').read().split('\n')
	a = file[:line]
	b = file[line:]
	a.append(string)
	open(file, 'w').write('\n'.join(a + b))
		
sappend('file.txt', 'insert this string'', 3)

Hope this helps,
Mark.

Last edited by netytan : August 6th, 2003 at 02:04 PM.

August 7th, 2003, 01:25 AM

Wizard2003

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Thank you for your replies.
I solve it similar the way netytan proposed.
Tip @netytan:
Use readlines()instead of read().split('\n').
-> same result

August 7th, 2003, 08:23 AM

netytan

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Way, how in hell did I miss that

.. silly me thats for the info. Anyway glad you solves it.

Here's an improved version of my function (using your readlines), all i've desided to do is return the value for writing this way you can easily desided where to write it, of course I could also add this option to the function (example two).

Code:

def sappend(file, string, line = 0):
	file = open(file, 'r').readlines()
	a = file[:line]
	b = file[line:]
	a.append(string)
	return ''.join(a + b)
		
open('text.txt', 'w').write(sappend('file.txt', 'baby\n', 3))

Code:

def sappend(file, string, line = 0, out = file):
	file = open(file, 'r').readlines()
	a = file[:line]
	b = file[line:]
	a.append(string)
	open(out, 'w').write(''.join(a + b))
		
sappend('file.txt', 'baby\n', 3, 'new.txt')

Still no error messages but it lets you pick where you want output to go

.. sorry, interesting function lol. Can you post your solusion would be interesting to see.

Percivall you talked about buffer's which has me a little lost, can you explain what you ment.

Mark.

August 7th, 2003, 08:43 AM

Wizard2003

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My outfile is a xml file that looks like:

Code:

<root>
  <subelement>
  </subelement>
  <subelement>
  </subelement>
  <subelement>
  </subelement>
  <subelement>
  </subelement>
  ...
</root>

I want to add further <subelement> tags after the last subelement tag.
I solve the problem by reading the file, deleting the last line (that line with </root>) and append the <subelement> and then append the close root tag (</root>).
I just asked myself if there is nothing like:

Code:

>>> mylist = [1,2,3]
>>> mylist.insert(-1,2.5)
>>> print mylist
[1,2,2.5,3]

I thougt it might be that there is something similar for file handling, but anyway...

August 7th, 2003, 09:34 AM

netytan

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I tested that last night, seeing if there is a way to do this, i'd actialy forgotten about the interst method, Obviouly i need to look harder next time

I need to do a little work..well quite a lot with XML (if i cant find a nice alternative) when I eventually get onto this project i'm planning. Any links you would recoment for beginner's looking at the XML API?

Mark.

August 7th, 2003, 10:29 AM

Wizard2003

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Search google for "xml xsl xpath tutorial".
The first hits are very well.
If you have further questions ask me :-)
Do you have experience with win32com?

#10

August 8th, 2003, 04:16 PM

netytan

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Thank's mate, No i havn't used COM before although I believe there is a section in "Python Programming" relating to it. You also might wana get the "Python Programming on Win32", havn't read it but there should be a good COM intro in there!

You can read about & order both from Amazon.com

Have fun,
Mark.

Last edited by netytan : August 8th, 2003 at 04:21 PM.

#11

August 18th, 2003, 09:24 PM

oni9

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I'm new to python, (only 2nd day into python world)

by reading you guys posts, I wrote this insert function

takes file

Quote:

def qInsert(filename, insStr, insPos = 0):
f=file(filename, 'r')
head=f.read(insPos)
tail=f.read()
f.close()
file(filename, 'w').write(head+insStr+tail)

it works fine. just wondering if the performance of manuplating a string is slower than the performance of manuplating string array or not?

#12

August 19th, 2003, 06:25 AM

Wizard2003

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where do you have a string array?

#13

August 19th, 2003, 08:41 AM

netytan

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Hey,

I'm not sure what you mean Wizard so i'll just try and answer oni's question.

The function works yes, as for preformance i can't see any big problem here you then open a file for writing and send the three strings as a one. You should be able do this all with one file object under append (a)..

From what I can see this is pretty efficent and gives you more controle - allowing you to select the char you want to add from, instead of the line - too much for what we needed here but still useful

.

This is the function I'm currently using for line insertion

, one thing I would suggest you add to your function is the out option, this way a user can optionally tell Python to write the new data to a different location.

Code:

def sappend(file, string, line = 0, out = file):
	file = open(file, 'r').readlines()
	file.insert(line, string)
	open(out, 'w').writelines(file)

sappend('file.txt', 'baby\n', 3, 'new.txt')

Hope this helps

Have fun,
Mark.

#14

August 19th, 2003, 11:20 AM

oni9

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Quote:

Originally posted by Wizard2003
where do you have a string array?

I don't have string array in my code

Quote:

file = open(file, 'r').readlines()

file would be a string array, isn't it?

Quote:

f=open(file, 'r').read(pos)

this one, f would be just string, is it no?

#15

August 19th, 2003, 03:50 PM

netytan

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I dont know what this string array is

. In C/C++ strings are char arrays but a Python string and list/array are two totally different types..

readlines() returns a list/array and read() returns a string.

likewise..

writelines() writes takes an array and writes it to a file, and write() takes a string.

If somone could explain the whole string array idea i would really appreciate it.

Thanks,
Mark.

open file in append mode

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