Can I Import table from txt file into form letter using Python?

[accessnewbie at gmail.com]

On Thursday, February 21, 2013 2:12:12 PM UTC-8, WorkerBee wrote:
> Very new to python but diving in with both feet here. 
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> I am trying to extend a python script to include automating a response form letter by including the results from a text file in tabular format into the letter.
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> I have a text file called “Cities” that I want to add to a paragraph in document. (It can be a text document. I can copy it into a word document later)
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> The Cities.txt file looks like this:
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> "CITYNAME", Pop
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> "Master Chief", 4277647
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> "El Carro", 10017844
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> "Geat Stanton", 717804
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> "Eureka", 1973732
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> "Lands End",5329713
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> "Pembrook", 2751614
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> "White Park", 6854152
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> "Greenbriar", 3243175
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> "Lost Crutches", 1285470
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> "Storeybrook", 268888
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> "Burlington Heights City",10793
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> "Nyte", 11613743
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> "Dog Patch", 472314
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> "Miserable Lives", 2439334
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> "Lincoln Park Pirates", 6808633
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> "Son ofaFrancisco", 2295350
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> "Lois Lane Heights", 5178065
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> The first line is header info which will need to be renamed. The remaining lines need to be entered as two columns but doubled up across the page. The file will always be called cities but the data will change for each form letter. Thus the cities could be 100 records long, or no cities found depending on the search results. The table has to be 6.5 inches wide. Height will vary. Thus for this file the data will need to look like this:
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> "Below is a list of the following cities that are within your area of interest."
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> City Name	Population	City Name		Population
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> Master Chief	4277647		Storeybrook		268888
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> El Carro	10017844	Burlington Heights City	10793
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> Geat Stanton	717804		Nyte			11613743
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> Eureka		1973732		Dog Patch		472314
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> Lands End	5329713		Miserable Lives		2439334
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> Pembrook	2751614		Lincoln Park Pirates	6808633
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> White Park	6854152		Son ofaFrancisco	2295350
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> Greenbriar	3243175		Lois Lane Heights	5178065
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> Lost Crutches	1285470		
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> (Note: No data would say something like: "There are no cities within your area of interest." No table is inserted.)
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> Note that the city names sizes change so the column widths may need to change also. My current process is to import the text file into Excel. Rename and bold font headings and copy and paste second set of headings in columns 3 and 4. Cut and paste half the rows into new columns below the second set of headings. Copy and paste into word document. Auto fit table to window. 
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> I actually have several text files. Some require 1, 2 or 3 SETS of columns. I figure if I can get coding for the above example, I can figure out how to change it for all other text files.
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> I am trying to automate as much as the process as possible. Using python, I have automated the processing required to get the text files, now I want to try to automate putting this data into a standardized word document. Basically I'm trying to automate a form letter that has a few modifications depending on the query results. Can anyone help me here, if not with the code, a site that would help me figure it out by myself?
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> BTW, I have NO control over the appearance of the form letter. A committee of silly bureaucrats argued endlessly over the format last year and thus its format is carved in stone. I just plug in the data like a good grunt worker bee, so please refrain from slamming me on the ridiculousness of multiple columns. Appearance is everything around here.
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> Thanks in advance.

Columns are supposed to line up. They lined up in my editor. Didn't see a preview/edit option so I had to post without using these features. Sorry.