"AttributeError: 'list' object has no attribute 'replace'

Question

I'm trying to replace a specific part of a line in a txt file, but it says "AttributeError: 'list' object has no attribute 'replace'".

This is part of my code:

with open("credentials.txt",'r+') as f:
  credentials_array = f.readlines() # credentials_array contains the txt file's contents, arranged line by line. so credentials_array[0] would be the first login info in the file
  lines_in_credentials = len(credentials_array) # if there are 7 credentials in the text file, lines_in_credentials = 7.

  while x < lines_in_credentials:

    if user in credentials_array[x]: # go through each line in turn to see if the login_username is in one. line 1, credentials_array[1].
      credentials_desired_line = credentials_array[x]

      username_password_score = credentials_array[x].split(",") # username_password_score is the contents of each line, the contents are split by commas
      stored_username = username_password_score[0] # username is part 1
      stored_password = username_password_score[1] # password is part 2
      stored_score = username_password_score[2] # score is part 3
      stored_score_int = int(stored_score)

      if user == stored_username:

        if new_score > stored_score_int:
          print("Congratulations! New high score!")
          print(stored_score_int,"-->",new_score)
          credentials_array_updated = stored_username+","+stored_password+","+str(new_score) # reassign the array[x] to having new_score at the end instead of stored_score
          credentials_array.replace(credentials_array[x],credentials_array_updated)

        break

Is there any other way to do it?

Amiga500 · Accepted Answer · 2021-04-15 10:15:55Z

1

Your missing a line setting x = 0 in your presented problem, but that's not important - I think that's just a typo you've missed when writing it out.

Your line:

credentials_array.replace(credentials_array[x], credentials_array_updated)

is your problem. Try:

credentials_array[x].replace(credentials_array[x], credentials_array_updated)

replace operates on the string, and you want to replace the string within credentials_array[x], not the whole list.

Now, I have assumed there are more entries to credentials_desired_line than what you've outlined in username_password_score. Otherwise you could do just a straight replacement such as:

credentials_array[x] = credentials_array_updated

As a bigger change, you could try this:

iLines = 0
with open("credentials.txt",'r+') as f:
    credentials_array = f.readlines()  


    for line in credentials_array:
        if user in line: #user we want is in this line

            currScore = int(credentials_array[x].split(",")[2])

            if new_score > currScore:
                print("Congratulations! New high score!")
                print(Str(currScore),"-->",str(new_score))
                credentials_array[iLines].replace(str(currScore),str(newScore))
            break
        iLines =+1

With you wanting to update the text file, the minimal mod to your code would be to put this at the end (beyond/outside) the previous "with open()" loop:

with open('credentials.txt', 'w') as f:
    for line in credentials_array:
        f.write("%s\n" % line)

edited Apr 15, 2021 at 10:15

answered Apr 15, 2021 at 10:00

Amiga500

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5 Comments

ECN Over a year ago

thank you. I do have another issue, though, as the change experienced by the array now doesn't translate to the file. How would you recommend I fix it?

Amiga500 Over a year ago

Ah, if you want to update the text file you've 2 options. (1) Don't read it into an array, but read it line by line and operate at that point, or (2) at the end when you have the new array, just overwrite the text file

ECN Over a year ago

Instead of replacing part of the txt file, it's added a space underneath each line

Amiga500 Over a year ago

Which is? The overwrite of the text file? That overwrite syntax is working fine here...

ECN Over a year ago

No, never mind, I think mis-wrote something. Thank you. Now I've got the template, I can work from there :)

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