Python Error code: 'List has no attribute 'txt'

Question

I am trying to call a function- write_corpus_to_file, however when I run the program I get the error code 'Attribute error: List has no attribute 'txt''. I am a python beginner, can anyone help?

THE FUNCTION:

def write_corpus_to_file(mycorpus, myfile):
    f = open(myfile, 'w')
    newcorpus = ''.join(mycorpus)
    f.write(newcorpus)
    f.close()

SECTION OF THE MAIN LOOP:

elif user_input=="a":
    addseq = input("Enter new input to corpus ")
    tidy_text(addseq)
    extcorpus = corpus.extend(addseq)
    write_corpus_to_file(extcorpus, corpus.txt)

myfile should be a string, not a variable name. So corpus.txt should really be "corpus.txt" — sjaustirni
– sjaustirni, Commented Nov 18, 2017 at 9:08

steliosbl · Accepted Answer · 2017-11-18 09:18:39Z

2

You forgot to put the filename in quotes:

write_corpus_to_file(extcorpus, "corpus.txt")

If you don't have quotes, then python takes corpus.txt literally, and attempts to access the txt attribute of the variable called corpus. That of course doesn't exist, hence the error.

Also, a recommendation. Instead of this:

f = open(myfile, 'w')
f.write(newcorpus)
f.close()

Do this:

with open(myfile, 'w') as f:
    f.write(newcorpus)

This method ensures that resources are properly released, and that the file is written to and closed properly even in case of an error.

EDIT: extend, like other functions that operate on lists, works in-place. This means that it modifies the list, and does not return a new one. Therefore when you do extcorpus = corpus.extend(addseq), extcorpus is given no value, since extend doesn't return anything.

Change your code like so:

elif user_input=="a":
    addseq = input("Enter new input to corpus ")
    tidy_text(addseq)
    corpus.extend(addseq)
    write_corpus_to_file(corpus, "corpus.txt")

edited Nov 18, 2017 at 9:18

answered Nov 18, 2017 at 9:04

steliosbl

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1 Comment

I.E.Ke Over a year ago

Thank you! When I do this however I am getting another error code: TypeError: Can only join an iterable

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