CSV Module AttributeError

Question

So I copied and pasted a demo program from the book I am using to learn Python:

#!/usr/bin/env python
    import csv
total = 0
priciest = ('',0,0,0)
r = csv.reader(open('purchases.csv'))
for row in r:
    cost = float(row[1]) * float(row[2])
    total += cost
    if cost == priciest[3]:
        priciest = row + [cost]
print("You spent", total)
print("Your priciest purchase was", priciest[1], priciest[0], "at a total cost of", priciest[3])

And I get the Error:

Traceback (most recent call last):
      File "purchases.py", line 2, in <module>
        import csv
      File "/Users/Solomon/Desktop/Python/csv.py", line 5, in <module>
        r = csv.read(open('purchases.csv'))
AttributeError: 'module' object has no attribute 'read'

Why is this happening? How do I fix it? Update: Fixed All The Errors Now I'm getting:

Traceback (most recent call last): File "purchases.py", line 6, in <module> for row in r: _csv.Error: line contains NULL byte

What was happening in terms of the CSV.py: I had a file with the same code named csv.py, saved in the same directory. I thought that the fact that it was named csv .py was screwing it up, so I started a new file called purchases.py, but forgot to delete csv

also make sure you delete (if present) any csv.pyc file that may have been created on import — mechanical_meat
– mechanical_meat, Commented Mar 14, 2012 at 23:33

mechanical_meat · Accepted Answer · 2022-01-31 16:01:23Z

94

Don't name your file csv.py.
When you do, Python will look in your file for the csv code instead of the standard library csv module.

Edit: to include the important note in the comment: if there's a csv.pyc file left over in that directory, you'll have to delete that. that is Python bytecode which would be used in place of re-running your csv.py file.

edited Jan 31, 2022 at 16:01

answered Mar 14, 2012 at 23:22

mechanical_meat

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1 Comment

Dam Over a year ago

I had the same error. But after I changed the name of the file I had to remove the csv.pyc from the working folder.

wim · Accepted Answer · 2012-03-14 23:20:23Z

3

There is a discrepancy between the code in the traceback of your error:

r = csv.read(open('purchases.csv'))

And the code you posted:

r = csv.reader(open('purchases.csv'))

So which are you using?

At any rate, fix that indentation error in line 2:

#!/usr/bin/env python
import csv
total = 0

And create your csv reader object with a context handler, so as not to leave the file handle open:

with open('purchases.csv') as f:
  r = csv.reader(f)

answered Mar 14, 2012 at 23:20

wim

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