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reading .txt file in python

I have a problem with a code in python. I want to read a .txt file. I use the code:
f = open('test.txt', 'r') # We need to re-open the file
data = f.read()
print(data)
I would like to read ONLY the first line from this .txt file. I use
f = open('test.txt', 'r') # We need to re-open the file
data = f.readline(1)
print(data)
But I am seeing that in screen only the first letter of the line is showing.
Could you help me in order to read all the letters of the line ? (I mean to read whole the line of the .txt file)

with open("file.txt") as f:
print(f.readline())
This will open the file using with context block (which will close the file automatically when we are done with it), and read the first line, this will be the same as:
f = open(“file.txt”)
print(f.readline())
f.close()
Your attempt with f.readline(1) won’t work because it the argument is meant for how many characters to print in the file, therefore it will only print the first character.
Second method:
with open("file.txt") as f:
print(f.readlines()[0])
Or you could also do the above which will get a list of lines and print only the first line.
To read the fifth line, use
with open("file.txt") as f:
print(f.readlines()[4])
Or:
with open("file.txt") as f:
lines = []
lines += f.readline()
lines += f.readline()
lines += f.readline()
lines += f.readline()
lines += f.readline()
print(lines[-1])
The -1 represents the last item of the list
Learn more:
with statement
files in python
readline method

Your first try is almost there, you should have done the following:
f = open('my_file.txt', 'r')
line = f.readline()
print(line)
f.close()
A safer approach to read file is:
with open('my_file.txt', 'r') as f:
print(f.readline())
Both ways will print only the first line.
Your error was that you passed 1 to readline which means you want to read size of 1, which is only a single character. please refer to https://www.w3schools.com/python/ref_file_readline.asp

I tried this and it works, after your suggestions:
f = open('test.txt', 'r')
data = f.readlines()[1]
print(data)

Use with open(...) instead:
with open("test.txt") as file:
line = file.readline()
print(line)

Keep f.readline() without parameters.
It will return you first line as a string and move cursor to second line.
Next time you use f.readline() it will return second line and move cursor to the next, etc...

Putting items into array

I'm working on a Python project in Visual Studio. I want to process a longer text file, this is a simplified version:
David Tubb
Eduardo Cordero
Sumeeth Chandrashekar
So for reading this file I use this code:
with open("data.txt", "r") as f:
f_contents = f.read()
print(f_contents)
I want to put these items into a new array that looks like that:
['David Tubb','Eduardo Cordero','Sumeeth Chandrashekar']
Is that possible?

Yes, the following code will work for this:
output = [] # the output list
nameFile = open('data.txt', 'r')
for name in nameFile:
# get rid of new line character and add it to your list
output.append(name.rstrip('\n'))
print output
# don't forget to close the file!
nameFile.close()

result = []
with open("data.txt", "r") as f:
result = f.read().splitlines()
print(result)
Output:
['David Tubb', 'Eduardo Cordero', 'Sumeeth Chandrashekar']

The method stated by python for opening a file context is using "with open", this ensures the context will end during clean up.
python.org-pep-0343
dalist = list()
with open('data.txt', 'r') as infile:
for line in infile.readlines():
dalist.append(line)
Additonal resource for contex handeling: https://docs.python.org/3/library/contextlib.html

Reading a file and then overwriting it in Python

I've been trying to read a file and then overwrite it with some updated data.
I've tried doing it like this:
#Created filename.txt with some data
with open('filename.txt', 'r+') as f:
data = f.read()
new_data = process(data) # data is being changed
f.seek(0)
f.write(new_data)
For some reason, it doesn't overwrite the file and the content of it stays the same.

Truncate the file after seeking to the front. That will remove all of the existing data.
>>> open('deleteme', 'w').write('aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa')
>>> f = open('deleteme', 'r+')
>>> f.read()
'aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa'
>>> f.seek(0)
>>> f.truncate()
>>> f.write('bbb')
>>> f.close()
>>> open('deleteme').read()
'bbb'
>>>

You should add a call to truncate after seek as tdelaney suggested.
Try reading and writing in different scopes, the code is more clear that way and the data processing is not done when the file handlers are open.
data = ''
with open('filename.txt', 'r') as f:
data = f.read()
new_data = process(data)
with open('filename.txt', 'w+') as f:
f.write(new_data)

How to read one particular line from .txt file in python?

I know I can read the line by line with
dataFile = open('myfile.txt', 'r')
firstLine = dataFile.readline()
secondLine = dataFile.readline()
...
I also know how to read all the lines in one go
dataFile = open('myfile.txt', 'r')
allLines = dataFile.read()
But my question is how to read one particular line from .txt file?
I wish to read that line by its index.
e.g. I want the 4th line, I expect something like
dataFile = open('myfile.txt', 'r')
allLines = dataFile.readLineByIndex(3)

Skip 3 lines:
with open('myfile.txt', 'r') as dataFile:
for i in range(3):
next(dataFile)
the_4th_line = next(dataFile)
Or use linecache.getline:
the_4th_line = linecache.getline('myfile.txt', 4)

From another Ans
Use Python Standard Library's linecache module:
line = linecache.getline(thefilename, 33)
should do exactly what you want. You don't even need to open the file -- linecache does it all for you!

You can do exactly as you wanted with this:
DataFile = open('mytext.txt', 'r')
content = DataFile.readlines()
oneline = content[5]
DataFile.close()
you could take this down to three lines by removing oneline = content[5] and using content[5] without creating another variable (print(content[5]) for example) I did this just to make it clear that content[5] must be a used as a list to read the one line.

Insert string at the beginning of each line

How can I insert a string at the beginning of each line in a text file, I have the following code:
f = open('./ampo.txt', 'r+')
with open('./ampo.txt') as infile:
for line in infile:
f.insert(0, 'EDF ')
f.close
I get the following error:
'file' object has no attribute 'insert'

Python comes with batteries included:
import fileinput
import sys
for line in fileinput.input(['./ampo.txt'], inplace=True):
sys.stdout.write('EDF {l}'.format(l=line))
Unlike the solutions already posted, this also preserves file permissions.

You can't modify a file inplace like that. Files do not support insertion. You have to read it all in and then write it all out again.
You can do this line by line if you wish. But in that case you need to write to a temporary file and then replace the original. So, for small enough files, it is just simpler to do it in one go like this:
with open('./ampo.txt', 'r') as f:
lines = f.readlines()
lines = ['EDF '+line for line in lines]
with open('./ampo.txt', 'w') as f:
f.writelines(lines)

Here's a solution where you write to a temporary file and move it into place. You might prefer this version if the file you are rewriting is very large, since it avoids keeping the contents of the file in memory, as versions that involve .read() or .readlines() will. In addition, if there is any error in reading or writing, your original file will be safe:
from shutil import move
from tempfile import NamedTemporaryFile
filename = './ampo.txt'
tmp = NamedTemporaryFile(delete=False)
with open(filename) as finput:
with open(tmp.name, 'w') as ftmp:
for line in finput:
ftmp.write('EDF '+line)
move(tmp.name, filename)

For a file not too big:
with open('./ampo.txt', 'rb+') as f:
x = f.read()
f.seek(0,0)
f.writelines(('EDF ', x.replace('\n','\nEDF ')))
f.truncate()
Note that , IN THEORY, in THIS case (the content is augmented), the f.truncate() may be not really necessary. Because the with statement is supposed to close the file correctly, that is to say, writing an EOF (end of file ) at the end before closing.
That's what I observed on examples.
But I am prudent: I think it's better to put this instruction anyway. For when the content diminishes, the with statement doesn't write an EOF to close correctly the file less far than the preceding initial EOF, hence trailing initial characters remains in the file.
So if the with statement doens't write EOF when the content diminishes, why would it write it when the content augments ?
For a big file, to avoid to put all the content of the file in RAM at once:
import os
def addsomething(filepath, ss):
if filepath.rfind('.') > filepath.rfind(os.sep):
a,_,c = filepath.rpartition('.')
tempi = a + 'temp.' + c
else:
tempi = filepath + 'temp'
with open(filepath, 'rb') as f, open(tempi,'wb') as g:
g.writelines(ss + line for line in f)
os.remove(filepath)
os.rename(tempi,filepath)
addsomething('./ampo.txt','WZE')

f = open('./ampo.txt', 'r')
lines = map(lambda l : 'EDF ' + l, f.readlines())
f.close()
f = open('./ampo.txt', 'w')
map(lambda l : f.write(l), lines)
f.close()