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Python

Posted by laurensvanhaecke
laurensvanhaecke
Courses Plus Student 899 Points

Function censor()

The function censor() takes the name of a file (a string) as input. The function should open the file, read it, and then write it into file censored.txt with this modifi- cation: Every occurrence of a four-letter word in the file should be replaced with string 'xxxx'.

I'm working on some problems for my own benefit. However, I'm not sure what to do here. I believe the function has to go something like this but I get lost... anyone have any clue what to do next here?

def censor(filename):
    infile = open(filename)
    content = infile.read()
    infile.close()

censor("censored.txt")

Am I supposed to enter a string in somewhere? I don't have the actual file..like I said I'm just doing extra problems. Or an if statement selecting the first four characters?

Thanks.

Andreas cormack
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree seal-36
Andreas cormack
Python Web Development Techdegree Graduate 33,011 Points

I have edited your code for more readability. Refer to the markdown cheatsheet below to know how to format your posts.

1 Answer

Andreas cormack
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree seal-36
Andreas cormack
Python Web Development Techdegree Graduate 33,011 Points

Hi Laurens

This is how i attempted it.

def censor(readfile,writefile,mode='r+'):
    infile = open(readfile,mode)
    outfile = open(writefile,mode)
    new_list=[]
    for line in infile:
        mylist = line.split()
        for word in mylist:
            if string_count(word):
                word ="XXXX "
            else:
                pass 
            new_list.append(word)   
    for word in new_list:
        outfile.write("{} \n".format(word)) 
    infile.close()
    outfile.close()

def string_count(mystring):
    if len(mystring)==4:
        return True
    else:
        return False



censor("filetoreadfrom.txt","censored.txt")

this assumes both files are in the same directory