Python Read File | Python File Open (Text File example)

Python Read File is much easier with python programming. You do want to use an external library or import, It handles natively by language. In this tutorial, you will learn how to open a text file and read the data (text) form file in python, which comes under the File Handling section.

How to Python Read File?

In order to open and read the file, you will need to use a python in the build method (function) Open to get a file object. The file object has functions and attributes to collect data from the file and update etc.

Syntax:

Where file_obj is a variable to hold the file object. And Mode in the second argument is optional because the default value of ‘r’ will be assumed if it is omitted. Where ‘r ‘value stands for the reading mode.

#Opening file
file_obj  = open("filename", "mode")
# Reading and printing text form file 
print(file_obj.read())

Modes

• ‘r’ – Read mode (Only read the file ) is a default in the open function. The stream is positioned at the beginning of the file.
• ‘w’ – Write mode  (Edit and write new data into the file). The stream is positioned at the beginning of the file.
• ‘a’ – Appending mode (Add new data to the end of the file). The stream is positioned at the end of the file.
• ‘r+’ – Special read and write mode  (Handle both operations – Read and Write ). The stream is positioned at the beginning of the file.

Examples:

Assume we have the “testFile.txt” file, located in the same folder as Python. The Text in the file is below.

testFile.txt

Hello world
This text from file.

Reading the file and print() all data in the console.

f = open("testFile.txt", "r")
print(f.read())

Output: Hello world
This text from a file.

Read-Only Parts of the File

Reading and print() only limited data example,

You can also specify how many characters you want to return:

f = open("testFile.txt", "r")
print(f.read(5))

Output: Hello

Read Lines Example 

You can read one or two etc line by using the readline() method:

f = open("testFile.txt", "r")
print(f.readline())

Output: Hello world

#do follow this link, based on complete Read line tutorial: Python ReadLines Tutorial & Examples

Bonus: What is the Real-time example use of Open and Read the file in python

• The file where you have weather observation data and you want to open that with Python and then you want to Analysis data and select some information to show.
• A file with email and you a send some email automatically, so python needs to restring as an email to your email address.

Python File Handling Quiz

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Python File Handling to test your knowledge – ( Create, Open, Update, delete and more about in Python)
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1. Question 1 of 10

   1. Question

   Which of the following command is used to open a file “c:\textFile.txt” in read-mode only?

   • file = open(“c:\ textFile.txt”, “r”)
   • file = open(“c:\\ textFile.txt”, “r”)
   • file = open(file = “c:\ textFile.txt”, “r+”)
   • file = open(file = “c:\\ textFile.txt”, “r+”)
   Correct
   

   Incorrect
   
2. Question 2 of 10

   2. Question

   Which functions use to check if a file exists?
   File name = “logo”

   • os.path.isFile(logo)
   • os.path.exists(logo)
   • os.path.isfile(logo)
   • os.isFile(logo)
   Correct
   

   Incorrect
   
3. Question 3 of 10

   3. Question

   How do you insert something on a new line in a file?

   • \n
   • write.newline('x')
   • type the content on the line below
   • You cannot do this
   Correct
   

   Incorrect
   
4. Question 4 of 10

   4. Question

   Appending to a file means adding extra data into the file.

   • True
   • False
   Correct
   

   Incorrect
   
5. Question 5 of 10

   5. Question

   What is the last action that must be performed on a file?

   • Save
   • Close
   • End
   • Write
   Correct
   

   Incorrect
   
6. Question 6 of 10

   6. Question

   What is the data type of data read from a file?

   • Boolean
   • Real
   • Number
   • String
   Correct
   

   Incorrect
   
7. Question 7 of 10

   7. Question

   Can you create a file without using file modes in Python?

   • True
   • False
   Correct
   

   Incorrect
   
8. Question 8 of 10

   8. Question

   Reading from a file often involves using…

   • Comments
   • A loop
   • A condition
   • None
   Correct
   

   Incorrect
   
9. Question 9 of 10

   9. Question

   Which of the following statements are true regarding the opening modes of a file?

   • When you open a file for reading, if the file does not exist, an error occurs.
   • When you open a file for writing, if the file does not exist, an error occurs.
   • When you open a file for reading, if the file does not exist, the program will open an empty file.
   • When you open a file for writing, if the file does not exist, a new file is created.
   • When you open a file for writing, if the file exists, the existing file is overwritten with the new file.
   Correct
   

   Incorrect
   
10. Question 10 of 10

    10. Question

    Which of the following commands option right to read the entire contents of a file as a string using the file object ?

    • tmpfile.read(n)
    • tmpfile.read()
    • tmpfile.readline()
    • tmpfile.readlines()
    Correct
    

    Incorrect
    

Do comment if you have any doubts and suggestions for the article.

Note : This example (Project) is developed in PyCharm 2018.2 (Community Edition)
JRE: 1.8.0
JVM: OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM by JetBrains s.r.o
macOS 10.13.6

Python 3.7

All Examples of Python Read File are in Python 3, so it may change its different from python 2 or upgraded versions.

Rohit

Degree in Computer Science and Engineer: App Developer and has multiple Programming languages experience. Enthusiasm for technology & like learning technical.