CHAPTER 6

Files and
Exceptions

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 Topics
Introduction to File Input and Output
Using Loops to Process Files
Processing Records
Exceptions

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Introduction to File Input
and Output
For program to retain data between the
times it is run, you must save the data
Data is saved to a file, typically on computer
disk
Saved data can be retrieved and used at a
later time
“Writing data to”: saving data on a file
Output file: a file that data is written to

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Introduction to File Input
and Output (cont’d.)
“Reading data from”: process of
retrieving data from a file
Input file: a file from which data is read
Three steps when a program uses a file
Open the file
Process the file
Close the file

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 Types of Files and File
Access Methods
In general, two types of files
Text file: contains data that has been encoded as
text
Binary file: contains data that has not been
converted to text
Two ways to access data stored in file
Sequential access: file read sequentially from
beginning to end, can’t skip ahead
Direct access: can jump directly to any piece of
data in the file

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Filenames and File Objects
Filename extensions: short sequences
of characters that appear at the end of
a filename preceded by a period
Extension indicates type of data stored in the
file
File object: object associated with a
specific file
Provides a way for a program to work with the
file: file object referenced by a variable

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Filenames and File Objects
(cont’d.)

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 Opening a File
open function: used to open a file
Creates a file object and associates it with a
file on the disk
General format:
file_object = open(filename, mode)
Mode: string specifying how the file will
be opened
Example: reading only ('r'), writing ('w'),
and appending ('a')

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Specifying the Location
of a File
If open function receives a filename
that does not contain a path, assumes
that file is in same directory as program
If program is running and file is
created, it is created in the same
directory as the program
Can specify alternative path and file name in
the open function argument
Prefix the path string literal with the letter r

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 Writing Data to a File
Method: a function that belongs to an
object
Performs operations using that object
File object’s write method used to write
data to the file
Format: file_variable.write(string)
File should be closed using file object
close method
Format: file_variable.close()
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 Reading Data From a File
read method: file object method that
reads entire file contents into memory
Only works if file has been opened for reading
Contents returned as a string
readline method: file object method
that reads a line from the file
Line returned as a string, including '\n'
Read position: marks the location of the
next item to be read from a file
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 Concatenating a Newline to
and Stripping it From a String
In most cases, data items written to a file
are values referenced by variables
Usually necessary to concatenate a '\n' to
data before writing it
Carried out using the + operator in the argument of
the write method
In many cases need to remove '\n'
from string after it is read from a file
rstrip method: string method that strips
specific characters from end of the string
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 Appending Data to an
Existing File
When open file with 'w' mode, if the
file already exists it is overwritten
To append data to a file use the 'a'
mode
If file exists, it is not erased, and if it does not
exist it is created
Data is written to the file at the end of the
current contents

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 Writing and Reading
Numeric Data
Numbers must be converted to strings
before they are written to a file
str function: converts value to string
Number are read from a text file as
strings
Must be converted to numeric type in order to
perform mathematical operations
Use int and float functions to convert
string to numeric value
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Using Loops to Process Files
Files typically used to hold large amounts
of data
Loop typically involved in reading from and
writing to a file
Often the number of items stored in file is
unknown
The readline method uses an empty string as
a sentinel when end of file is reached
Can write a while loop with the condition
while line != ''

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Using Python’s for Loop to
Read Lines
Python allows the programmer to write
a for loop that automatically reads
lines in a file and stops when end of file
is reached
Format: for line in file_object:
statements
The loop iterates once over each line in the
file

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 Processing Records
Record: set of data that describes one
item
Field: single piece of data within a
record
Write record to sequential access file by
writing the fields one after the other
Read record from sequential access file
by reading each field until record
complete
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Processing Records (cont’d.)
When working with records, it is also
important to be able to:
Add records
Display records
Search for a specific record
Modify records
Delete records

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 Exceptions
Exception: error that occurs while a
program is running
Usually causes program to abruptly halt
Traceback: error message that gives
information regarding line numbers
that caused the exception
Indicates the type of exception and brief
description of the error that caused exception
to be raised

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 Exceptions (cont’d.)
Many exceptions can be prevented by
careful coding
Example: input validation
Usually involve a simple decision construct
Some exceptions cannot be avoided by
careful coding
Examples
Trying to convert non-numeric string to an integer
Trying to open for reading a file that doesn’t exist

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 Exceptions (cont’d.)
Exception handler: code that responds
when exceptions are raised and prevents
program from crashing
– In Python, written as try/except statement
General format: try:
statements
except exceptionName:
statements
Try suite: statements that can potentially raise an
exception
Handler: statements contained in except block

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 Exceptions (cont’d.)
If statement in try suite raises exception:
Exception specified in except clause:
Handler immediately following except clause
executes
Continue program after try/except statement
Other exceptions:
Program halts with traceback error message
If no exception is raised, handlers are
skipped

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Handling Multiple Exceptions
Often code in try suite can throw more
than one type of exception
Need to write except clause for each type of
exception that needs to be handled
An except clause that does not list a
specific exception will handle any
exception that is raised in the try suite
Should always be last in a series of except
clauses

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 Displaying an Exception’s
Default Error Message
Exception object: object created in
memory when an exception is thrown
Usually contains default error message
pertaining to the exception
Can assign the exception object to a variable
in an except clause
Example: except ValueError as err:
Can pass exception object variable to print
function to display the default error message

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 The else Clause
try/except statement may include an
optional else clause, which appears
after all the except clauses
Aligned with try and except clauses
Syntax similar to else clause in decision
structure
Else suite: block of statements executed after
statements in try suite, only if no exceptions
were raised
If exception was raised, the else suite is skipped

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 The finally Clause
try/except statement may include an
optional finally clause, which appears
after all the except clauses
Aligned with try and except clauses
General format: finally:
statements
Finally suite: block of statements after the
finally clause
Execute whether an exception occurs or not
Purpose is to perform cleanup before exiting

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What If an Exception Is Not
Handled?
Two ways for exception to go unhandled:
No except clause specifying exception of the
right type
Exception raised outside a try suite
In both cases, exception will cause the
program to halt
Python documentation provides information
about exceptions that can be raised by different
functions

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 Summary
This chapter covered:
Types of files and file access methods
Filenames and file objects
Writing data to a file
Reading data from a file and determining when
the end of the file is reached
Processing records
Exceptions, including:
Traceback messages
Handling exceptions

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