How do i read just the last line of a text file?

[Chris F.A. Johnson]

On Sun, 29 May 2005 at 05:57 GMT, John Machin wrote:
> Chris F.A. Johnson wrote:
> 
>> file = open(argv[1])          ## Open the file given on the command line
>> all_lines = file.readlines()  ## Read all the lines
> 
> I see your shadowing and raise you one obfuscation:

   ;)

> open = file(argv[1])          ## File the open given on the command line
> all_lines = open.readlines()  ## Read all the lines

   Such verbosity! (I excuse mine on the grounds that it was my first
   attempt at a Python program.)

all_lines = file(argv[1]).readlines()

   And to answer the question in the subject line:

last_line = file(argv[1]).readlines()[-1]

   Both of which assume "from sys import argv".


   Now I have to get serious and forget those bad habits.

-- 
    Chris F.A. Johnson                     <http://cfaj.freeshell.org>
    ==================================================================
    Shell Scripting Recipes: A Problem-Solution Approach, 2005, Apress
    <http://www.torfree.net/~chris/books/cfaj/ssr.html>