How do you read in a text (.txt) file as a .py file in Python 2.7?

Question

I have a shared folder that contains a text file that I want my program to reference as though it were a .py file. For example, my .txt file has a dictionary in it that I reference in my program. How do i import the dictionary from a text file? Do i read it in line by line? Or is there a way to trick python into thinking it is a .py file.

Here is a sample similar to my .txt file:

#There are some comments here and there

#lists of lists
equipment = [['equip1','hw','1122','3344'],['equip2','hp','1133','7777'],['equip3','ht','3333','2745']]

#dictionaries
carts = {'001':'Rev23', '002':'Rev11','003':'Rev7'}

#regular lists
stations = ("1", "2", "3", "4", "11", "Other")

related: Dynamically importing Python module

jfs
– jfs

2014-03-26 20:35:03 +00:00
Commented Mar 26, 2014 at 20:35 — jfs
– jfs, Commented Mar 26, 2014 at 20:35

alecxe · Accepted Answer · 2014-03-26 17:28:55Z

3

Looks like what you need is a JSON file.

Example: consider you have a source.txt with the following contents:

{"hello": "world"}

Then, in your python script, you can load the JSON data structure into the python dictionary by using json.load():

import json 

with open('source.txt', 'rb') as f:
    print json.load(f)

prints:

{u'hello': u'world'}

You can also use exec(), but I don't really recommend it. Here's an example just for educational purposes:

source.txt:

d = {"hello": "world"}

your script:

with open('test.txt', 'rb') as f:
    exec(f)
    print d

prints:

{'hello': 'world'}

Hope that helps.

edited Mar 26, 2014 at 17:28

answered Mar 26, 2014 at 17:23

alecxe

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8 Comments

Cole Over a year ago

Are .json files easy to edit? I want this file to be easily edited.

Cole Over a year ago

I have multiple dictionaries and lists in this reference file. Will they all be usable via this method?

alecxe Over a year ago

@Cole is there a python code inside? could you show a sample contents?

Cole Over a year ago

Sorry for not being clearer. I edited in an example.

alecxe Over a year ago

@Cole well, the easiest option would be to convert the file to .py and import it. Also see stackoverflow.com/questions/701802/….

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Ethan Furman · Accepted Answer · 2014-03-26 17:49:55Z

3

If you completely trust the source .txt file, check out execfile.

answered Mar 26, 2014 at 17:49

Ethan Furman

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