Python - compare a string with a text file

Question

Within an IF statement, I have a string and wish to compare it with a text file. Currently I have the following:

    #The part of the program that checks the user’s list of words against the external file solved.txt and displays an appropriate ‘success’ or ‘fail’ message.
if ''.join(open('test.txt').read().split('\n')):
    print('Success')
else:
    print('Fail')
    print()
    #If the puzzle has not been completed correctly, the user should be allowed to continue to try to solve the puzzle or exit the program.
    continue_or_exit = input('Would you like to "continue" or "exit"? ')
    if continue_or_exit == 'continue':
       task3(word_lines, clueslistl, clueslists, clues)
    elif continue_or_exit == 'exit':
        quit()
    else:
        print()

However, this does not work. Even if the string and the text file are exactly the same, the command prompt will always print 'Fail'.

solved.txt:

ACQUIRED
ALMANAC
INSULT
JOKE
HYMN
GAZELLE
AMAZON
EYEBROWS
AFFIX
VELLUM

What is text and text.txt? What is str (if not the builtin type)? — Lev Levitsky
– Lev Levitsky, Commented Jun 3, 2014 at 17:24
The User is entering letter and symbol pairings ('A#') in order to change a list of coded words into words. The coded words has been made into a list in order to change and delete certain characters (''join). — thomasdowell
– thomasdowell, Commented Jun 3, 2014 at 17:35

A.J. Uppal · Accepted Answer · 2014-06-03 17:24:53Z

7

Instead of that, do the following:

if string == open('myfile.txt').read():
    print('Success')
else:
    print('Fail')

This uses the built-in function open(), and .read() to get the text from a file.

However, the .read() will result in something like this:

>>> x = open('test.txt').read()
>>> x
'Hello StackOverflow,\n\nThis is a test!\n\nRegards,\nA.J.\n'
>>>

So make sure your string contains the necessary '\n's (newlines).

If your string does not have the '\n's, then just call ''.join(open('test.txt').read().split('\n')):

>>> x = ''.join(open('test.txt').read().split('\n'))
>>> x
'Hello StackOverflow,This is a test!Regards,A.J.'
>>>

Or ' '.join(open('test.txt').read().split('\n')):

>>> x = ' '.join(open('test.txt').read().split('\n'))
>>> x
'Hello StackOverflow,  This is a test!  Regards, A.J. '
>>>

Also, don't use str as a variable name. It shadows the built-in.

edited Jun 3, 2014 at 17:24

answered Jun 3, 2014 at 17:19

A.J. Uppal

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2 Comments

thomasdowell Over a year ago

''.join(open('test.txt').read().split('\n')) works, however it infinitely prints 'Success'?

A.J. Uppal Over a year ago

Just add break after the print("Success").

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