python convert from unknown format

Question

I am using python to convert a rtf file to plain text. I am using pyth to convert it, but it ends up in a format that I don't recognize.

Here is my input python script:

from pyth.plugins.rtf15.reader import Rtf15Reader
from pyth.plugins.plaintext.writer import PlaintextWriter
import sys

if len(sys.argv) > 1:
    filename = sys.argv[1]
else:
    filename = "C:\localdata\logbook.rtf"

doc = Rtf15Reader.read(open(filename, "rb"))

y = [x.content for x in doc.content]
for j in y:
    print j

Here is what the ouput looks like:

[Text('[AJAJ]' {})]
[Text('[07:30 - Setup IP address]' {})]
[Text('[copied DM Queue and recipies from AYT404]' {})]
[Text('[07:50 - Backed up system pre SP7]' {})]
[Text('[08:00 - Installing SP7]' {})]
[Text('[08:15 - Startup Drivers -> OK]' {})]

Does anyone know what format this is and how can I convert this to something more readable?

This is perfectly readable for me. What exactly did you expect the output to look like? — WorldSEnder
– WorldSEnder, Commented Oct 9, 2015 at 0:56
After reading the doc, try: print PlaintextWriter.write(doc).getvalue() — Carl Groner
– Carl Groner, Commented Oct 9, 2015 at 0:58
I am trying to parse only the text out of the rtf file to reduce the filesize, when i use the PlaintextWriter it seems to convert the images to a lot of unreadable data and does not reduce the size. — clayton33
– clayton33, Commented Oct 9, 2015 at 1:00
@WorldSEnder You are correct it is readable, but I want the [Text('[AJAJ]' {})] to be turned into simply AJAJ — clayton33
– clayton33, Commented Oct 9, 2015 at 1:01
Why not just write a quick filter to get what you want? From the sample you've posted, it looks like you just have to drop the first 8 characters and the last 7 characters (if I've counted correctly). So instead of print j you'd have print j[8:-7] — saulspatz
– saulspatz, Commented Oct 9, 2015 at 1:09

saulspatz · Accepted Answer · 2015-10-09 01:41:56Z

1

It might be easier just to write a simple filter to get what you want. From the sample you've posted, it looks like you just have to drop the first 8 characters and the last 7 characters (if I've counted correctly). So instead of print j you'd have

print str(j)[8:-7]

The reason you need the str is that the object is the list y are apparently not strings. I'm not familiar with these modules, so I can't say what kind of objects they are, but their string representation is what we see printed. (Every python object has a string representation of some sort, which is why you can call print on anything.) So, whatever kind of object j actually is, str(j) is its string representation, and we can slice it.

answered Oct 9, 2015 at 1:41

saulspatz

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