Convert from json to plain text, why can I not read from my json?

Question

I am trying to convert a json file to txt:

def json_to_plaintext(json_file):

    json_tmp = json.loads(json_file.read())
    attr = str(json_tmp["meta"])  # collect attribute
    txt_file = open("json_attr.txt", "w+")
    attr = str(attr)  # make string of object
    txt_file.write(attr)
    txt_file.close()
    json_file.close()

    return txt_file

When I call json_to_plaintext("json_file") I get: AttributeError: 'str' object has no attribute 'read'. json_file is a correct json file, so that should not be an issue. As goes for my code, my understanding is that it should work since I do json.loads(json_file.read()), which often can be an issue otherwise.

Is the function perceiving the parameter "json_file" as a string instead of a file-object? If so, how should I pass my json-file as a parameter? If not, what may cause this error?

Is it a file or a **filename**? If it's a filename, you need to `open` it — h4z3, Nov 15 '19 at 09:52
Another thing: are you sure you want to use `attr = str(attr)` instead of `attr = json.dumps(attr)`? Using str() does not yield a JSON string. — Daniel F, Nov 15 '19 at 09:57
@YeganehSalami that is definitely not the problem. The problem is with the file object. — Daniel F, Nov 15 '19 at 09:59
Why do you call `json_to_plaintext("json_file")` when it looks like you are supposed to call `json_to_plaintext(open("json_file"))`? Your function does, after all, do `json_file.close()`. — quamrana, Nov 15 '19 at 10:38

Fourier · Answer 1 · 2019-11-15T10:38:01.003

0

It seems that you do not open the file before passing it to your function. This can be done within the function itself:

import json      

def json_to_plaintext(json_file):

    with open(json_file, 'r') as myfile:
        json_tmp = json.load(myfile)
    ...

edited Nov 15 '19 at 10:38

answered Nov 15 '19 at 09:54

Fourier

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This was the issue. When I open the file in the terminal and then pass it, it works. But when I try to open it in the function I get the error: raise JSONDecodeError("Expecting value", s, err.value) from None json.decoder.JSONDecodeError: Expecting value: line 1 column 1 (char 0), any idea why this won't work? – zkalman Nov 15 '19 at 10:29
Please try my updated answer. Are there any symbols in there, that the decoder might not be able to handle? How do you pass the file? – Fourier Nov 15 '19 at 10:35
Just regular letters. I pass it from the console by: json_to_plaintext("json_file") – zkalman Nov 15 '19 at 10:40

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 15 '19 at 10:08

This may help you:

import json
def json_to_plaintext(json_file):

    with open(json_file, 'r') as myfile:
        json_tmp = json.loads(myfile.read())
        attr = str(json_tmp["amazon"])  # collect attribute
        txt_file = open("json_attr.txt", "w+")
        attr = str(attr)  # make string of object
        txt_file.write(attr)
        txt_file.close()


    return txt_file


if __name__=="__main__":
    a=json_to_plaintext("configuration_file")
    print(a)

Convert from json to plain text, why can I not read from my json?

2 Answers2