Python read text file with tab delimiter
IntroductionA tab-delimited file is a well-known and widely used text format for data exchange. By using a structure similar to that of a spreadsheet, it also allows users to present information in a way that is easy to understand and share across applications - including relational database management systems. Show
Other formats, such as comma-separated values, often pose the challenge of having to escape commas, which are frequent within text (as opposed to tabs). Opening Files with PythonBefore we dive into processing tab-separated values, we will review how to read and write files with Python. The following example uses the
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After pressing Enter twice to execute the above suite, we will see tabs (\t) between fields, and new line breaks (\n) as record separators in Fig. 1: Although we will be primarily concerned with extracting data from files, we can also write to them. Again, note the use of \n at the beginning to indicate a new record and \t to separate fields:
python Although the Introducing the CSV ModuleAlthough it was named after comma-separated values, the CSV module can manage parsed files regardless of the field delimiter - be it tabs, vertical bars, or just about anything else. Additionally, this module provides two classes to read from and write data to Python dictionaries (DictReader and DictWriter, respectively). In this guide we will focus on the former exclusively. First off, we will import the CSV module: Next, we will open the file in read-only mode, instantiate a CSV reader object, and use it to read one row at a time:
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Fig. 2 shows that each row was read into a list after the above suite was executed: Although this undoubtedly looks much better than our previous version where tabs and new lines were mixed with the actual content, there is still room for improvement. The DictReader ClassTo begin, we will create an empty list where we will store each game as a separate dictionary: Finally, we will repeat the same code as above with only a minor change. Instead of printing each row, we will add it to games_list. If you are using Python 3.5 or older, you can omit
python We can go one step further and use list comprehension to return only those games where the visitor score was greater than 130. The following statement creates a new list called visitor_big_score_games and populates it with each game inside games_list where the condition is true:
python Now that we have a list of dictionaries, we can write it to a spreadsheet as explained in Importing Data from Microsoft Excel Files with Python or manipulate it otherwise. Another option consists of writing the list converted to string into a plain text file named visitor_big_score_games.json for distribution in JSON format:
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If you just want to view the list, not turn it into a spreadsheet or a JSON file, you can alternatively use
python As you can see, the possibilities are endless and the only limit is our imagination! SummaryIn this guide we learned how to import and manipulate data from tab-delimited files with Python. This not only is a highly valuable skill for data scientists, but for web developers and other IT professionals as well. How do I read a tabTo read tab-separated values files with Python, we'll take advantage of the fact that they're similar to CSVs. We'll use Python's csv library and tell it to split things up with tabs instead of commas. Just set the delimiter argument to "\t" . That's it!
How do I open a text file with delimiter in Python?Use str.. a_file = open("sample.txt"). file_contents = a_file. read(). contents_split = file_contents. splitlines(). print(contents_split). a_file. close(). What is the delimiter for tab?\t is replaced by an actual tab character (ASCII 0x09 , or Char(9) ) when it's used as a delimiter in your first example. In the second, it's not being replaced, and it's being used as the literal character sequence \ and t .
How do I read a pipe delimited file in Python?i have used the split string method, but it only prints "n" from the the first split column(name). ... . If you literally copy and paste my code into a text file and run it, you will see that it works. ... . with open("abc.txt","r" ) as infile: data = infile.read() fields = data.split('|') print(data[0]). |