Edit text in file in python

Question

I am new to python and working on to get input and edit a file with python. The value I want to edit is "web-iphone" with the text I get from input.

Code so far:

web = raw_input("Enter value")

The file: test.py

    local {
            value web-iphone
    }

Do I have to overwrite the file or is it possible to edit text in the file ? — user3270211
– user3270211, Commented Feb 21, 2015 at 12:00
Depends what you mean by edit - a file can be appended to, or parts can be replaced, it cannot be inserted to. Generally you want to over-write the file. — user3467349
– user3467349, Commented Feb 21, 2015 at 12:02
How can I replace the part "web-iphone" any resources I can look at ? — user3270211
– user3270211, Commented Feb 21, 2015 at 12:06
stackoverflow.com/questions/27123091/… lists basic ways in which you can edit a file — ivan_pozdeev
– ivan_pozdeev, Commented Feb 21, 2015 at 12:08

Leafthecat · Accepted Answer · 2015-02-21 14:36:34Z

2

Edit: What you are asking is clearer now, refined my answer.

To get a file's contents:

def read_file(filename):
  return open(filename).read()

And to write to a file:

def write_file(filename, toWrite):
  file = open(filename, 'w')
  file.write(toWrite)
  file.close()

So to replace "web-iphone" with whatever the user typed in you could do:

Web = raw_input("Enter a value ")
Replaced = read_file("myfile.txt").replace("web-iphone", Web)
write_file("myfile.txt", Replaced)

For your comment:

newInput = raw_input("Enter a value ")
OldFile = read_file("myfile.txt")
value = OldFile.find("value"+6)
newFile = OldFile[:value] + newInput + OldFile[OldFile.find("\n",value+1):]

edited Feb 21, 2015 at 14:36

answered Feb 21, 2015 at 12:07

Leafthecat

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8 Comments

user3270211 Over a year ago

If I dont know the value to be replaced but I know the column? As in shell - awk '{ print $2 }' is that possible ? To replace a specific column in a line ?

Leafthecat Over a year ago

It is possible, I will add it to the bottom of my answer for the sake of formatting, hold on a moment please.

user3270211 Over a year ago

Since I always want "value" in that file stay, but want to change the text after value to for example web-iphone.

Leafthecat Over a year ago

Oh, ok . I'll have that added to my answer in a minute.

Leafthecat Over a year ago

Oops, move the +6 outside the parentheses.

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