Reading a file in an inner loop [solved]

[eric dexter]

my computer doesn't like this and hangs after creating a zero byte temp file. thanks for the help in advance

def Del_Instr(from_file, instr):
    "del an instrument from a file dangerous indeed"
    infile = open(from_file, 'r')
    outfile = open('temp.tmp', 'w')
    instr_num = str(instr)
    for line in infile:
        if 'instr' in line:
           if instr_num in line:
              while not 'endin' in line:
                  pass                
           outfile.write(line)         
    close(infile)
    remove(from_file)
    rename('temp.tmp', from_file) 
 

[bartonc]

creating an inner loop IS what you want to do, but

              while not 'endin' in line:
                  pass                
 

hangs because you never read any new lines.

I still recommend this inside the if block (you have found what you want copied)

outfile.write(line)
try:
    while True:
        line = infile.next()
        outfile.write(line)
        if 'endin' in line:
            break
except StopIteration:
    print 'never found endin'
 

This way you get the first line written to the outfile plus the line that contains 'endin'.

[bartonc]

It's probably better to collect all the lines that you want into a list:

out_lines = []
...
out_lines.append(line)
...

if out_lines:
# open, write and close the outfile with whatever name you want.

[eric dexter]

I probily should of realized the infinite loop.. I will give this a try thanks alot for the help

creating an inner loop IS what you want to do, but

              while not 'endin' in line:
                  pass                
 

hangs because you never read any new lines.

I still recommend this inside the if block (you have found what you want copied)

outfile.write(line)
try:
    while True:
        line = infile.next()
        outfile.write(line)
        if 'endin' in line:
            break
except StopIteration:
    print 'never found endin'
 

This way you get the first line written to the outfile plus the line that contains 'endin'.