Python script that does batch find and replace in txt files

[Albert-Jan Roskam]

----- Original Message -----
> From: Syed Khalid <khalidness at gmail.com>
> To: python-list at python.org
> Cc: 
> Sent: Sunday, November 9, 2014 8:58 PM
> Subject: Python script that does batch find and replace in txt files
> 
> Python script that does batch find and replace in txt files Need a python script 
> that opens all .txt files in a folder find replace/delete text and save files.
> 
> I have text files and I need to perform below steps for each file. 
> 
> Step 1: Put cursor at start of file and Search for "Contact's 
> Name:". Delete all the rows before it.
> Step 2: Put cursor at end of file, Search for "Contact's Name:" 
> select option UP.
> Step 3: Search for "Photo of the" Replace with blanks
> Step 4: Search for "Contact is" Replace with blanks
> Step 5: Search for "Contact's Name:" Replace with blanks
> Step 6: Search for "Age:" Replace with blanks
> Step 7: Search for "Sex:" Replace with blanks
> Step 8: Search for "House No:" Replace with blanks
> Step 9: Search for "available" Replace with blanks
> Step 10: Remove Empty Lines Containing Blank Characters from file
> Step 11: Trim Leading Space for each line
> Step 12: Trim Trailing Space after each line
> Step 13: Search for - (hyphen) Replace with _ (underscore)

> Step 14: Save file.

something like (untested)


import glob, codecs, re, os

regex = re.compile(r"Age: |Sex: |House No: ") # etc etc

for txt in glob.glob("/some/path/*.txt"):
    with codecs.open(txt, encoding="utf-8") as f:
        oldlines = f.readlines()
    for i, line in enumerate(oldlines):
        if "Contact's Name: " in line:
            break
    newlines = [regex.sub("", line).strip().replace("-", "_") for line in oldlines[i:]
    with codecs.open(txt + "_out.txt", "wb", encoding="utf-8") as w:
        w.write(os.linesep.join(newlines))

    
    

> 
> Currently I have recorded a macro in Notepad++.
> I open each file, run macro and save file.
> As there are many files I was looking for a program to automate the process. 
> 
> I posted the same query in Notepad++ forum. I got a reply that it can be done by 
> using Python script.
> 
> Kindly do the needful. 
> 
> Thank you.
> khalidness
> 
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