Python Opening Files in Python - Newbie Question

[zeion]

Homework Statement

Hi, this might be silly but I'm not sure what the syntax is for the read function...

I'm trying to open a file on my desktop, it is a text file called testfile.txt, how do I make python know where to find it?

I go:

f = open('C:\Users\Truman\Desktop\testfile.txt', 'r')

or

f = open('testfile.txt', 'r')

but neither works.

Does the file need to be in the same directory as where I installed Python?

Thanks.

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

 

[jhae2.718]

f = open(filename, mode)

should work if you specify the file path.

Are you getting an IOError? Also, if you directly use the file() constructor, can you open the file?

 

[zeion]

Ok I realized I couldn't open the file in IDLE.. but only with the actual program.

 

[Daverz]

Either use double backslashes, '\\', or single forward slashes, '/'. Otherwise you have characters like '\t', which is the tab character, embedded in your filename.

 

[jhae2.718]

Wow...it's been so long since I've used Python on Windows that I forgot about that.