replacing strings in files from list in python

Question

So I need to find all files with certain extension in this case .txt. Then I must open all these files and change certain string with another string... and here i'm stuck.

here is my code:

import os, os.path

find_files=[]

for root, dirs, files in os.walk("C:\\Users\\Kevin\\Desktop\\python programi"):
for f in files:
    fullpath = os.path.join(root, f)
    if os.path.splitext(fullpath)[1] == '.txt':
        find_files.append(fullpath)
for i in find_files:
    file = open(i,'r+')
    contents = file.write()
    replaced_contents = contents.replace('xy', 'djla')
    print i

ERROR mesage:

line 12, in <module>
    contents = file.write()
TypeError: function takes exactly 1 argument (0 given)

i know that there is misssing an argument but which argument should I use? i think it would be better if i change the code from for i in find files: down any advice?

You cannot write to a file when it's opened for reading (r+). If you'd have opened it with w, you could file.write(replaced_contents)... — msvalkon
– msvalkon, Commented Apr 24, 2014 at 12:41
Are you trying to write this back into the file or are you trying to just print it out? — NDevox
– NDevox, Commented Apr 24, 2014 at 12:44
The error message states that the write function takes 1 argument but 0 has been given. As per the python documentation , the format for file writing function is f.write(string) writes the contents of string to the file, returning None — durga
– durga, Commented Apr 24, 2014 at 12:48

Oliver Matthews · Accepted Answer · 2014-04-24 12:40:43Z

2

I think you mean to use file.read() rather than file.write()

answered Apr 24, 2014 at 12:40

Oliver Matthews

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3 Comments

NDevox Over a year ago

It depends on whether he wants to read it out with the replacement or if he want's to actually replace the file - the print statement could just be debugging

Oliver Matthews Over a year ago

@Scironic Unless there is some nicely idiomatic python way to apply a function to lines in a file, he is going to have to read it in at that point. He may well need to add a write call as well, but that would have to go after the replace call.

NDevox Over a year ago

you're right of course - I should have phrased myself better. I was trying to point out that that, whilst this would be an issue, it may not be the main issue which he is interested in. I was getting ahead of myself in that comment.

NDevox · Accepted Answer · 2014-04-24 12:48:38Z

0

Not sure if you're just trying to print out the changes or if you want to actually rewrite them into the file, in which case you could just do this:

for i in find_files:
    replaced_contents = ""
    contents = ""
    with open(i, "r") as file:
        contents = file.read()
        replaced_contents = contents.replace('xy', 'djla')
    with open(i, "w") as file:
        file.write(replaced_contents)
    print i

answered Apr 24, 2014 at 12:48

NDevox

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