Introduction:

In Python, there is no need for importing external library to read files, python provides built-in functions for reading files from PC by just providing the absolute path of the file or by providing the relative path.

Python File Reading Methods

file.read(n) – This method reads n number of characters from the file, or if n is blank it reads the entire file.

file.readline(n) – This method reads an entire line from the text file.

Steps:

To read a file in relative path.

• Make a new folder and paste the file in it that you want to read.

• Open the VS code, make a new python file and save this file in the same folder in which you saved the file that you want to read.

Now start writing a script.

• Declare the handler letsRead.

• Use the function open("filename","  "read mode(r)") to open the file.

        letsRead = open("EONA.fasta","r")

• It opens a file with name of "EONA.fast".

• Declare the variable myData to store the data.

• Now call the read function with the handler and store the value in the declared variable.

       myData= letsRead.read()

• Call the print function to print the data that is in the EONA.fasta file.

To read a file in absolute path

• Save the python and the file that you want to read in different folders/locations.

• Open the python file.

• Declare the handler letsRead.

• Now open the folder in which you pasted the file that you want to read.

• Copy its address.

• Open the VS code file in which you’re writing the script.

• Use the function open("filename","  "read mode(r)") to open the file.

• Paste the address in open function at the place of file name.

       letsRead = open("C:/Users/twDig/Desktop/EONA.fasta","r")

• It opens file with name of "EONA.fast".

• Declare the variable myData to store the data.

• Now call the read function with the handler and store the value in the declared variable.

       myData= letsRead.read()

• Call the print function to print the data that is in the EONA.fasta file.

Summary:

In this video we discussed the script to read data from files by providing relative path and absolute path. We also discussed the different function to read the file data.