40 lines
1.1 KiB
Markdown
40 lines
1.1 KiB
Markdown
---
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tags: [python]
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created: Friday, October 25, 2024
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---
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# With open in Python
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We use the `open()` method to create a **file object** that allows us to read,
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write and append to files.
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The general syntax is as follows:
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```py
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file_object = open(<file_name>, <access_mode>)
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```
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`<file_name>` is a path to the file you want to read, create or modify. The
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`<access_mode>` denotes the mode in which to open the file. The most frequently
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used are:
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- `r`
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- [read](Reading_files_in_Python.md)
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- `w`
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- [write](Writing_to_files_in_Python.md)
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- `a`
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- [append](Appending_to_files_in_Python.md)
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When we have finished with an I/O operation, such as reading from or writing to
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a file, we must call `file.close()` to terminate the process. This removes the
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reference to the file from memory.
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A more pythonic and concise way of reading files and closing them is to use
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`with...as` syntax. When this phrasing is used, a self-contained context is
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created for the I/O operation that closes the file automatically.
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```py
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with open('filename.txt', 'r') as file:
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contents = file.read()
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print(contents)
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```
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