How to read columns of a txt file in Python ?

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I would like to read the columns of a txt file in python. I have a txt file with 30 columns. I would like to set a variable for each column (I mean for example, a for column 1, b for column 2, c for column 3 etc.)
Coule you please help me? Witch command should I use?

What I have tried:

from difflib import SequenceMatcher

with open('input_text.txt ','r') as fin:
    data=fin.read().split('\n')
    for index in range(len(data)):
#     columns = line.split()
     print(data)

Python

Posted 2-Mar-23 6:31am

Member 14991075

Updated 2-Mar-23 20:54pm

v2

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Richard MacCutchan 2-Mar-23 12:35pm

Assuming that your columns are separated by spaces, and there are no spaces within those columns, then the above code should work. Just remove the comment character from line 6.

Member 14991075 2-Mar-23 12:38pm

ok how to set a for column 1, and b for column 2?

Richard MacCutchan 2-Mar-23 13:25pm

See below.

3 solutions

Solution 1

After the line

Python

columns = line.split()

columns is a list with a number of elements (the number of separate items). So you can then do something like:

Python

a = columns[1]
b = columns[2]
... etc.

Alternatively you could say

Python

a, b, c, d, e, ...  = line.split()

But it would be better to just use the index values to refer to each item.

Posted 2-Mar-23 7:25am

Richard MacCutchan

Solution 3

import pandas as pd

filename = 'input_text.txt' 
df = pd.read_csv(filename, sep='\t',usecols=[0,1], header=None, index_col=False)
print(df.columns)

#print(df)
a = df[0]
print(a)
b = df[1]
print(b)

Posted 2-Mar-23 20:54pm

Member 14991075

Comments

Maciej Los 3-Mar-23 10:38am

This is not an answer. Please, delete it.
BTW: see updated answer.

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Maciej Los · Accepted Answer · 2023-03-02T09:28:00

I'd suggest to use pandas. There's a method called pandas.read_csv — pandas 1.5.3 documentation[^].
This is very fast and flexible.

[EDIT]
Imagine, you've got such of file:

-3153.61743,-6115.18164,-3289.31226
-3256.75195,-6075.70801,-3550.83057
-3775.00977,-5870.36035,-3817.91870
-3890.03223,-5819.92871,-3797.58984
-4134.60156,-5724.16309,-3651.39648

There's no header and a comma is used as a column separator. Then:

Python

import pandas as pd

filename = 'FullFileNameHere.txt' 
df = pd.read_csv(filename, delimiter=',',usecols=[0,2],header=None)
print(df)
#to get first column data, use:
a = df[0]
#to get 5. element on the list, use:
print(a[4])

That's all! Try it!

How to read columns of a txt file in Python ?

3 solutions

Solution 1

Solution 2

Solution 3

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