In Python, As Iam looping through a file directory how do enter a text file at the root and replace strings that match re with xxxxx

Question

I want to loop through a directory with many files and append strings within a each text file. I can capture the string with re.findall method. I want to replace that string with xxxx within each text file..

import os
import pandas as pd
import numpy as np
import re

start = os.getcwd()
for (root,dirs,files) in os.walk(start):
    if files.endswith('.txt'):
        keepfile = files
        with open(keepfiles,'a') as newFile:
            content = newFile.read()
            text1 = re.findall('name',content)
            text2 = re.findall(‘_serial..\w+’,content)
            ReplaceWith1= content .replace(text1,'xxxxxx')
            ReplaceWith2= text2.replace(‘text2,’ttttt’)

@Pratik Gandhi. That what Iam trying to figure out. How do I do that? — , Nov 12 '19 at 07:30

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 12 '19 at 07:58

There are couple of things missed in your code, but you can try this code. Main changes are:

open the file in w+ mode to truncate its content.
changed the order of replaced content.

Writing eveerything back to newFile.

import os
import pandas as pd
import numpy as np
import re

start = os.getcwd()
for (root,dirs,files) in os.walk(start):
    if files.endswith('.txt'):
        keepfile = files
        with open(keepfiles,'w+') as newFile:
            content = newFile.read()
            text1 = re.findall('name',content)
            ReplacedWith1= content.replace(text1,'xxxxxx')
            text2 = re.findall(‘_serial..\w+’,ReplacedWith1)
            ReeplacedWith2= text2.replace(‘text2,’ttttt’)
            newFile.write(ReeplacedWith2)

score -1 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 12 '19 at 06:38

-1

You can do that with this, but i would test it in a directory you have duplicated to make sure it works to your specifications, which i think it does:

import os
from glob import glob
path = "/tmp/testchange"

f = glob(os.path.join(path,"*name*"))
n = []
for x in range(len(f)):
   n.append(f[x].replace('name', 'xxxxxx'))
for x in range(len(f)):
  os.rename(f[x], os.path.join(path, n[x]))

answered Nov 12 '19 at 06:38

oppressionslayer

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Glob has been known to miss files. So IAm trying to use os.walk. I am able to walk through the files but I know how to find the text. I just to replace the strings in each file. – Nov 12 '19 at 07:28
Why do you think glob can miss files?? – tripleee Nov 12 '19 at 07:37
1

Are we trying to replace filename or the content of file? From OP's code it looks like we are trying to change the content – Pratik Nov 12 '19 at 07:50

In Python, As Iam looping through a file directory how do enter a text file at the root and replace strings that match re with xxxxx

2 Answers2