How to read/create a file in a different directory in Python

Question

I am using the cookie cutter data science project model (https://drivendata.github.io/cookiecutter-data-science/) and would like to open a file in a different directory from my script, read the file, and then create/write a new file to a different directory from my script. I would like this to work no matter what computer the folder is on (in other words, I can't hard code the absolute path).

I know that some questions already pertain to this issue, but the resulting answers have not worked. I have mostly been looking at os and pathlib. Solutions I have attempted include but are not limited to the ones found at these questions: Open File in Another Directory (Python) and Open file in a relative location in Python.

Below is the relevant parts of the structure of the project:

Project |--data | |--external | | --file.txt | |--random_pages |--src | |--data | --script.py

I'd like to use script.py to read file.txt, then create a file in random_pages.

Olvin Roght · Accepted Answer · 2019-09-23 16:31:01Z

3

You can use pathlib:

from pathlib import Path path = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2].joinpath("data\\external\\random_pages\\file.txt")

answered Sep 23, 2019 at 16:31

Olvin Roght

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1 Comment

Liz W. Over a year ago

Didn't know about the parents attribute!! Thanks!!

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