How to read a large file set

Question

I am very new to Python. So please give specific advice. I am using Python 3.2.2.

I need to read a large file set in my computer. Now I can not even open it. To verify the directory of the file, I used:

>>> import os
>>> os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath('a9000006.txt'))

It gives me the location 'C:\\Python32'

Then I wrote up codes to open it:

>>> file=open('C:\\Python32\a9000006.txt','r')
Traceback (most recent call last):
    File "<pyshell#29>", line 1, in <module>
      file=open('C:\\Python32\a9000006.txt','r')
IOError: [Errno 22] Invalid argument: 'C:\\Python32\x079000006.txt'

Then I tried another one:

>>> file=open('C:\\Python32\\a9000006.txt','r')
Traceback (most recent call last):
    File "<pyshell#33>", line 1, in <module>
      file=open('C:\\Python32\\a9000006.txt','r')
IOError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 'C:\\Python32\\a9000006.txt'

Then another one:

>>> file=open(r'C:\Python32\a9000006.txt','r')
Traceback (most recent call last):
    File "<pyshell#35>", line 1, in <module>
      file=open(r'C:\Python32\a9000006.txt','r')
IOError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 'C:\\Python32\\a9000006.txt'

The file is saved in the Python folder. But, it is in a folder, so the path is D\Software\Python\Python3.2.2\Part1\Part1awards_1990\awd_1990_00. It is multiple layers of folders.

Also, and anyone share how to read the abstract section of all files in that folder? Thanks.

Answer 1

\a is the ASCII bell character, not a backslash and an a. Use forward slashes instead of backslashes:

open('C:/Python32/a9000006.txt')

and use the actual path to the file instead of C:/Python32/a9000006.txt It's not clear from your question what that path might be; you seem like you might already know the path, but you're misusing realpath in a way that seems like you're trying to use it to search for the file. realpath doesn't do that.