Convert Text Files from One Format to Another

In today’s digital age, data is often stored in various formats, including text files. However, there may be situations where you need to convert text files from one format to another. For instance, you may have a text file in CSV format and need to convert it to a TXT file.

Why Convert Text Files?

Converting text files can be useful in several scenarios:

• You need to import data into a different application or software that only accepts a specific file format.
• You want to analyze the data in a different format using a specific tool or programming language.
• You need to merge data from multiple files in different formats into a single file.

How to Convert Text Files

There are several ways to convert text files from one format to another. Here, we’ll explore a simple Python script that can help you achieve this:

import csv

# Open the input file in read mode
with open('input.txt', 'r') as input_file:
    # Read the file content
    input_content = input_file.read()

# Convert the content to a list of rows
rows = input_content.split('\n')

# Create a CSV writer
with open('output.csv', 'w', newline='') as output_file:
    # Create a CSV writer object
    writer = csv.writer(output_file)

    # Write the rows to the CSV file
    writer.writerows([row.split(',') for row in rows])

print('Conversion complete! Output file saved as output.csv')

How the Code Works

This Python script uses the following steps to convert a TXT file to a CSV file:

1. It opens the input file in read mode and reads its content.
2. It splits the content into a list of rows using the newline character as a delimiter.
3. It creates a CSV writer object and opens the output file in write mode.
4. It writes the rows to the CSV file by splitting each row into a list of values using the comma as a delimiter.

Conclusion

Converting text files from one format to another can be a straightforward process using Python scripting. By following this example, you can easily convert TXT files to CSV files and vice versa. Remember to adjust the script according to your specific needs and file formats.

We’d love to hear from you!

Have you ever struggled to convert text files from one format to another? What was your solution?

What kind of text files do you commonly need to convert, and how do you currently handle the process?

What do you think is the most challenging part of converting text files, and how do you hope to overcome that hurdle?