Replace word in text python

Question

I have a the text of a book in txt format.

If a word is contained in specific_words_dict dictionary, I would like to replace that word with word_1 (cat with cat_1). I wrote this code, but it doesn't replace the word in the file.

for filename in os.listdir(path):
    with open(path+"/"+filename,'r+') as textfile:
        for line in textfile:
            for word in line.split():
                if(specific_words_dict.get(word) is not None):
                    textfile.write(line.replace(word,word+"_1"))

What am I doing wrong?

FHTMitchell · Accepted Answer · 2018-02-12 11:37:42Z

3

Don't read and write to a file at the same time. It won't end well. I think at the moment you're appending to the file (so all your new lines are going to the end).

If the file is not too big (it probably won't be), I'd read the whole thing into ram. Then you can edit the list of lines, before rewriting the whole file. Not efficient, but simple, and it works.

for filename in os.listdir(path):
    with open(os.path.join(path, filename)) as fr:
        lines = fr.read().splitlines()
    for index, line in enumerate(lines):
        for word in line.split():
            if specific_words_dict.get(word) is not None:
                lines[index] = line.replace(word, word + "_1")
    with open(os.path.join(path, filename), 'w') as fw:
        fw.writelines(lines)

edited Feb 12, 2018 at 11:37

answered Feb 12, 2018 at 11:18

FHTMitchell

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3 Comments

Farhan.K Over a year ago

missed an if statement under the second for loop

SctALE Over a year ago

@FHTMitchell It works, but I would like to replace in the text every word that is in the dictionary and not just one.

FHTMitchell Over a year ago

Good point, I've fixed my answer. This is what happens when you try and code without running it :p

Elodie Dellier · Accepted Answer · 2018-02-12 11:24:07Z

2

Write in other file In addition, you can check if your word is in uppercase or lower case in your dict or in your files. It is maybe why "replace" doesn't work.

for filename in os.listdir(path):
    with open(path+"/"+filename,'r+') as textfile, open(path+"/new_"+filename,'w') as textfile_new:
        for line in textfile:
            new_line = line
            for word in line.split():
                if(specific_words_dict.get(word) is not None):
                 new_line = new_line.replace(word,word+"_1")
            textfile_new.write(new_line)

answered Feb 12, 2018 at 11:24

Elodie Dellier

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