Python input function and read file

Question

The below code block returns the data I want, however I have called 'read_from_file(filename) from outside the if statement, where filename doesn't exist.

I know I have two options to improve this:

call read_from_file(filename) from inside my if statement, or
make filename a global variable.

However when I attempt both I run into other issues such as the text from the file not returning. Would someone be able to show the correct way to do one of the above options?

filename = input('input the filename: ')
#read the file
def read_from_file(filename):
    content = []
    with open(filename, "r") as file:
        for line in file:
            line = line.strip()
            if "-" not in line:
                content.append(float(line))
    return content

print(read_from_file(filename))

Guy · Accepted Answer · 2020-02-02 09:10:30Z

2

You can remove the file_name parameter from read_from_file and get the file name from inside the function

def read_from_file():
    filename = input('input the filename: ')

print(read_from_file())

answered Feb 2, 2020 at 9:10

Guy

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4 Comments

FatihAkici Over a year ago

just curious, what does signature mean in this context? Is it dfferent than a function's defnition?

TC1111 Over a year ago

Hi Guy, I understand I can move filename = input('input the filename: ') to inside the function but if I do that I am then having trouble on how I print/return the results inside the function. As if I move the input inside the function I can no longer have the print function globally

Guy Over a year ago

@TC1111 why not? the function returns the content and you print the returned value. Notice I removed filename from both the function parameters and the function call.

TC1111 Over a year ago

Thanks Guy! the removing the filename from the first line in the function is what i missed

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