How could I open a file via the function parameter in python?

Question

I'm trying to open a file via a function's parameter. The function I'm trying to make is going to be a multi-purpose one that will work with different files.

def word_editor(open(filename, 'f'))

Would this be the correct way to open it? filename will represent whatever file I am opening.

why don't you pass the file name as a parameter and open the file within the function? — Vaulstein
– Vaulstein, Commented Dec 5, 2016 at 5:51
@IgnacioVazquez-Abrams I have a suspicion that this won't matter to OP. — juanpa.arrivillaga
– juanpa.arrivillaga, Commented Dec 5, 2016 at 5:56
You cannot have a function call in the function definition header. Only formal parameters are allowed in the parentheses. — DYZ
– DYZ, Commented Dec 5, 2016 at 6:28
what @Vaulstein says might be what I need to do, mainly because once i open which ever file is specified I need to then take particular parts of it and put it into tuples — pydocz
– pydocz, Commented Dec 5, 2016 at 6:57

Fomalhaut · Accepted Answer · 2016-12-05 08:05:17Z

1

Defining any function you should list the arguments' names only. That's why your line def word_editor(open(filename, 'f')) can't be correct. If you want to work with file like objects, you should pass it as an argument like this:

def word_editor(fl):
    text = fl.read()
    print(text)

After that you can use this function like this:

f1 = open("file1.txt", "r")
word_editor(f1)
f1.close()

with open("file2.txt", "r") as f2:
    word_editor(f2)

answered Dec 5, 2016 at 8:05

Fomalhaut

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Ahasanul Haque · Accepted Answer · 2016-12-05 08:19:12Z

0

I think you want this.

def test(file_object):
     for line in file_object:
         print(line) 

test(open('test.txt','r'))

Output:

line #1
line #2
....  
....
line #n

Alternatively, you can pass filename as a parameter of the function, like below:

def test(file_name):
    with open(file_name,'a+') as f:  
         # do whatever you want to do. 

test('your_file.txt')

edited Dec 5, 2016 at 8:19

answered Dec 5, 2016 at 5:52

Ahasanul Haque

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3 Comments

pydocz Over a year ago

This is somewhat what i was trying to do except, I mainly wanted it to open the file in the function via the parameter and allow me to edit it

kemis Over a year ago

Then just send the file name as a parameter and open it in the function...

Timo Over a year ago

Positional parameters are file_name (1) and open-type(2)? Keyword arguments are encoding, etc.?

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