Python replace '\0' in string with null

Question

I'm currently facing a strange problem. I want to replace the '\0' in strings with 'null' and read through many forums and always saw the same answer:

text_it = "request on port 21 that begins with many '\0' characters, 
preventing the affected router"
text_it.replace('\0', 'null')

or

text_it.replace('\x00', 'null')

When I now print the string, I get the following result:

"request on port 21 that begins with many '\0' characters, preventing the 
affected router"

Nothing happened.

So I used this method and it worked but it seems to be too much effort for such a small change:

text_it = text_it.split('\0')
text_it = text_it[0] + 'null' + text_it[1]

Any idea why the replace function didn't work?

text_it = text_it.replace('\0', 'null') ?

Rakesh
– Rakesh

2018-08-10 08:24:48 +00:00
Commented Aug 10, 2018 at 8:24 — Rakesh
– Rakesh, Commented Aug 10, 2018 at 8:24

ibarrond · Accepted Answer · 2018-08-10 08:29:19Z

3

In one single line:

text_it = text_it.replace('\0', 'null').replace('\x00', 'null')

answered Aug 10, 2018 at 8:29

ibarrond

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Laurent H. · Accepted Answer · 2018-08-10 08:29:11Z

0

Strings are immutable, so they can not be modified through the replace() method. But this method returns the expected output, so you can assign this returned value to text_it. Here is the (simple) solution:

text_it = "request on port 21 that begins with many '\0' characters, preventing the affected router"
text_it = text_it.replace('\0', 'null')

print(text_it)
# request on port 21 that begins with many 'null' characters, preventing the affected router

answered Aug 10, 2018 at 8:29

Laurent H.

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