how to use variable in file path

Question

i have this working code but it doesnt do the whole job at the moment, currently the code creates 30 files and write them too but i couldnt manage yet to rename each file of those 30 files to readme.ini and put it in its folder (which is the DB number shown in list)

what im trying to do is to create those 30 files and place each one of them in its folder which named as its DB number

e.g. the file with info belongs to DB number "5030" should be placed in folder named "5030", all those DB numbers mentioned in the list folders are already created in a folder in my desktop where the path is C:\Users\Administrator\Desktop\readme1\

import datetime

SchoolDB = [5002, 5006, 5020, 5021, 5022, 5025, 5028, 5030, 5102, 5103, 5104, 5105, 5109, 5117, 5119, 5120, 5121, 5126,
        5130, 5131, 5132, 5133, 5134, 5135, 5136, 5137, 5205, 5211, 5238, 5244]
print (SchoolDB)
todayd = datetime.datetime.now().strftime ("%#d/%#m/%Y")
todayt = datetime.datetime.now().strftime ("%H:%M:%S")
for x in SchoolDB:
    dbs = open("%s.ini" % x, 'w+')
   dbs.write("%s \n%s \n\n%s \n%s \n\n%s \n%s \n" % ('[SCHOOL]',x,'[DATE]',todayd,'[TIME]',todayt))

i expect the loop to create readme.ini file with specific info for each DB number in the list and place this readme.ini file in its DB number folder.

thakee nathees · Accepted Answer · 2019-02-19 06:56:55Z

1

you need to import os module in order to create a folder (with the name of the DB number)and then create the readme.ini file inside the folder (with a relative path) like this

import os
...
for x in SchoolDB:
    folder = os.mkdir("%s"%x) ## this will creare a folder with the name of x
    dbs = file.open("%s/readme.ini"%x,"w+") ## relative path to your file
    dbs.write("now write what ever you want")

answered Feb 19, 2019 at 6:56

thakee nathees

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3 Comments

Ahmad Over a year ago

thanks alot, it worked but there is 1 issue left here. it creates folders and readme.ini files inside but it wont work if i already have the folders created ? i got error when i tried to run it while having the 30 folders already created with db files inside.

Chris Larson Over a year ago

Note that you aren't closing your file object dbs here. Be careful if this code is used in a larger context. Either add dbs.close() at the end of your loop, or better yet, use the with open() context manager.

thakee nathees Over a year ago

you can't create a folder which already exist (raise FileExistsError) but you can check weather if it already exist or not with "os.listdir()" this will return all folders and the files in the directory

Chris Larson · Accepted Answer · 2019-02-19 07:22:15Z

Assuming I understand correctly, you wish to create a series of directories with the values in SchoolDB as their names. Within each one of these, you wish to have a file named readme.ini. Givien those assumptions, the following code will accomplish the task:

import os
import datetime

SchoolDB = [5002, 5006, 5020, 5021, 5022, 5025, 5028, 5030, 5102, 5103, 5104,
5105, 5109, 5117, 5119, 5120, 5121, 5126, 5130, 5131, 5132, 5133, 5134, 5135,
5136, 5137, 5205, 5211, 5238, 5244]

todayd = datetime.datetime.now().strftime ("%#d/%#m/%Y")
todayt = datetime.datetime.now().strftime ("%H:%M:%S")

for number in SchoolDB:
    os.makedirs('{}'.format(str(number)), exist_ok=True)
    with open("{}/readme.ini".format(str(number)), 'w+') as dbs:
        dbs.write("[SCHOOL] \n{} \n\n[DATE] \n{} \n\n'[TIME]' \n{} \n".format(number, todayd, todayt))

A few things to note:

number is a more informative variable name. It's a good habit to develop for readability.

In os.makedirs(), if you're concerned about a directory already existing, perhaps from a previous run, you can set exist_ok=False to fail if the directory does exist. You'll need to handle how to deal with the situation in your code if you choose to do so. As it stands, if the directory already exists, any readme.ini inside it will be overwritten with a new one.

The modern format() approach is also good practice, and your constant names aren't necessary as variables. Simply put them in the string to be formatted, as shown here.

It's always good practice to use the with open() context manager when dealing with files. As it stands, every one of your files remains open until you either dbs.close() or your code exits. This is unnecessary, can lead to complications, and uses more system resources than necessary.

Excellent! That's what it's all about, right? Glad I could help. Cheers!

anand_v.singh · Accepted Answer · 2019-02-19 06:42:36Z

0

To use variable filenames use,

filename = '{} hello'.format(varname)

if you want to pass multiple variables to the string use

filename = '{} hello{}'.format(varname1,varname2)

in both cases {} will be replaced by variable values

and then just simply open with filename

answered Feb 19, 2019 at 6:42

anand_v.singh

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chaos · Accepted Answer · 2019-02-19 06:53:01Z

0

What you're looking for is: dbs = open("{}.ini".format(x), 'w+')

similarly, you want to use "".format() on the string you're outputting. In that case, I find it more readable as:

dbs.write("""[SCHOOL]\n{}\n\n[DATE]\n{}\n\n[TIME]\n{}\n""".format(x, todayd, todayt)

answered Feb 19, 2019 at 6:53

chaos

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Comments

Shadab Ahmed · Accepted Answer · 2019-02-19 06:58:40Z

0

Move to parent directory

Import os
os.chdir('PARENT_DIRECTORY_PATH')

create new directory for your DB & change directory to your new DB

for x in SchoolDB:
    os.mkdir(x)
    os.chdir(x)
    dbs = open("readme.ini" , 'w+')

answered Feb 19, 2019 at 6:58

Shadab Ahmed

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