accessing a text file

[Baba]

On 6 sep, 16:58, Thomas Jollans <tho... at jollybox.de> wrote:
> On Monday 06 September 2010, it occurred to Baba to exclaim:
>
>
>
> > On 6 sep, 00:01, Benjamin Kaplan <benjamin.kap... at case.edu> wrote:
> > > On Sun, Sep 5, 2010 at 5:47 PM, Baba <raoul... at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > level: beginner
>
> > > > how can i access the contents of a text file in Python?
>
> > > > i would like to compare a string (word) with the content of a text
> > > > file (word_list). i want to see if word is in word_list. let's assume
> > > > the TXT file is stored in the same directory as the PY file.
>
> > > > def is_valid_word(word, word_list)
>
> > > > thanks
> > > > Baba
> > > > --
>
> > > >http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
>
> > > Please do us a favor and at least try to figure things out on your
> > > own, rather than coming here every time you have a question. The very
> > > first result when you try searching "python read text file" is the
> > > section in the Python tutorial that explains how to do this.
>
> > >http://docs.python.org/tutorial/inputoutput.html#reading-and-writing-...
>
> > Hi Benjamin
>
> > I did find that page prior to posting the question but i still wanted
> > to have a second opinion to complement that info so as to make things
> > easier The first line of my post clearly states that i am a beginner.
> > It's nice to provide links which can help answer the question but
> > please be so polite and keep personal comments for yourself.
>
> That is of course perfectly legitimate. It would however have been polite to
> state that in the question. Show us that you're doing your homework, and not
> just using the list as a cheap path to having to think less yourself.
>
> Phrasing your post as "I would like to compare a ... I found the open()
> function here: [link]. Is this what I should use of is there any other/better
> way?" makes a completely different impression.
>
> Also, keeping personal comments to one's self is just not how it works. On a
> list like this especially, answers along the lines of "That's the way to do
> what you were asking for, but are you sure the question went into the right
> direction? Have you thought of [...]?" can often be very helpful.
>
>
>
> > To all other respondants: thank you for your kind instructions and
> > directions.
>
>

Thanks Thomas. Look up some of my questions  this group and read
through them and come back to tell me if a) i use this forum to learn
without making any efforts myself or b) i use this forum to get
started using the expertise of more knowledgeable programmers while at
the same time particiapting. Anyway having this discussion is beside
the point. Any Expert out there who thinks we beginners are some dumb
idiots who are too stupid to think for themselves and are lucky to
have a bunch of geniuses like you to help, get lost or make yourself a
cup of tea but please give me a break from teaching me lessons...

There's lots of nice people out there who are being awsemome by
dedicating a bit of their time to some of our easy questions and it is
them that i wish to send a BIG thanks! Much appreciated. I have made
some good progress since starting to learn Python and this group has
been great help!

tnx
Raoul