Function to find a string within text file (Python)

I'm trying to write a function where the input string is searched for within a text file (the text file contains a list of english words, all in lowercase).
The input string may be inputted as all lowercase, uppercase or with the first letter uppercase and the rest lowercase.

So far I've got this, but it's not exactly working and I'm not sure what to do.

def is_english_word( string ):
 with open("english_words.txt", "r") as fileObject:

 if string in fileObject.read():
 return(True)

 newstring = string

 if newstring[0].isupper() == True:
 newstring == string.lower()

 if newstring in fileObject.read():
 return(True)

edited Nov 12 '18 at 15:33

asked Nov 12 '18 at 15:23

anon2000

135

The first fileObject.read() reads all the file content, so the second call reads nothing.

– kantal
Nov 12 '18 at 15:30

@kantal how do you make it read one line at a time

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:32

for s in fileObject:

– kantal
Nov 12 '18 at 15:37

Maybe I've misread your question, but why not simply doing def is_english_word(string): with open("english_words.txt", "r") as fileObject: if string.lower() in fileObject.read(): return True? So justs lowering input string to be consistent to the text.

– colidyre
Nov 12 '18 at 15:46

@colidyre because if the input string has an uppercase letter in the middle of string whilst the rest of the letters are lowercase, the return value should be false. Doing what you described above would simply return it true and not take into account the cases of the letters

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:48

|
show 1 more comment

So far I've got this, but it's not exactly working and I'm not sure what to do.

def is_english_word( string ):
 with open("english_words.txt", "r") as fileObject:

 if string in fileObject.read():
 return(True)

 newstring = string

 if newstring[0].isupper() == True:
 newstring == string.lower()

 if newstring in fileObject.read():
 return(True)

edited Nov 12 '18 at 15:33

asked Nov 12 '18 at 15:23

anon2000

135

The first fileObject.read() reads all the file content, so the second call reads nothing.

– kantal
Nov 12 '18 at 15:30

@kantal how do you make it read one line at a time

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:32

for s in fileObject:

– kantal
Nov 12 '18 at 15:37

Maybe I've misread your question, but why not simply doing def is_english_word(string): with open("english_words.txt", "r") as fileObject: if string.lower() in fileObject.read(): return True? So justs lowering input string to be consistent to the text.

– colidyre
Nov 12 '18 at 15:46

@colidyre because if the input string has an uppercase letter in the middle of string whilst the rest of the letters are lowercase, the return value should be false. Doing what you described above would simply return it true and not take into account the cases of the letters

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:48

|
show 1 more comment

So far I've got this, but it's not exactly working and I'm not sure what to do.

def is_english_word( string ):
 with open("english_words.txt", "r") as fileObject:

 if string in fileObject.read():
 return(True)

 newstring = string

 if newstring[0].isupper() == True:
 newstring == string.lower()

 if newstring in fileObject.read():
 return(True)

edited Nov 12 '18 at 15:33

asked Nov 12 '18 at 15:23

anon2000

135

So far I've got this, but it's not exactly working and I'm not sure what to do.

def is_english_word( string ):
 with open("english_words.txt", "r") as fileObject:

 if string in fileObject.read():
 return(True)

 newstring = string

 if newstring[0].isupper() == True:
 newstring == string.lower()

 if newstring in fileObject.read():
 return(True)

python text-files

edited Nov 12 '18 at 15:33

asked Nov 12 '18 at 15:23

anon2000

135

edited Nov 12 '18 at 15:33

asked Nov 12 '18 at 15:23

anon2000

135

edited Nov 12 '18 at 15:33

asked Nov 12 '18 at 15:23

anon2000

135

asked Nov 12 '18 at 15:23

anon2000

135

asked Nov 12 '18 at 15:23

anon2000

135

The first fileObject.read() reads all the file content, so the second call reads nothing.

– kantal
Nov 12 '18 at 15:30

@kantal how do you make it read one line at a time

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:32

for s in fileObject:

– kantal
Nov 12 '18 at 15:37

Maybe I've misread your question, but why not simply doing def is_english_word(string): with open("english_words.txt", "r") as fileObject: if string.lower() in fileObject.read(): return True? So justs lowering input string to be consistent to the text.

– colidyre
Nov 12 '18 at 15:46

@colidyre because if the input string has an uppercase letter in the middle of string whilst the rest of the letters are lowercase, the return value should be false. Doing what you described above would simply return it true and not take into account the cases of the letters

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:48

|
show 1 more comment

The first fileObject.read() reads all the file content, so the second call reads nothing.

– kantal
Nov 12 '18 at 15:30

@kantal how do you make it read one line at a time

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:32

for s in fileObject:

– kantal
Nov 12 '18 at 15:37

Maybe I've misread your question, but why not simply doing def is_english_word(string): with open("english_words.txt", "r") as fileObject: if string.lower() in fileObject.read(): return True? So justs lowering input string to be consistent to the text.

– colidyre
Nov 12 '18 at 15:46

@colidyre because if the input string has an uppercase letter in the middle of string whilst the rest of the letters are lowercase, the return value should be false. Doing what you described above would simply return it true and not take into account the cases of the letters

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:48

The first fileObject.read() reads all the file content, so the second call reads nothing.

– kantal
Nov 12 '18 at 15:30

@kantal how do you make it read one line at a time

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:32

for s in fileObject:

– kantal
Nov 12 '18 at 15:37

Maybe I've misread your question, but why not simply doing

def is_english_word(string): with open("english_words.txt", "r") as fileObject: if string.lower() in fileObject.read(): return True

? So justs lowering input string to be consistent to the text.

– colidyre
Nov 12 '18 at 15:46

Maybe I've misread your question, but why not simply doing

def is_english_word(string): with open("english_words.txt", "r") as fileObject: if string.lower() in fileObject.read(): return True

? So justs lowering input string to be consistent to the text.

– colidyre
Nov 12 '18 at 15:46

@colidyre because if the input string has an uppercase letter in the middle of string whilst the rest of the letters are lowercase, the return value should be false. Doing what you described above would simply return it true and not take into account the cases of the letters

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:48

|
show 1 more comment

2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

you have an indent issue: the with statement needs to be one indent inside def:

def is_english_word( string ):
 with open("english_words.txt", "r") as fileObject:

 if string.istitle() or string.isupper():
 return string.lower() in fileObject.read()
 else:
 return string in fileObject.read()

there is no need to check for all of the possible cases of the input string, just make it all lowercase and check for that.

edited Nov 12 '18 at 15:45

answered Nov 12 '18 at 15:29

vencaslac

1,002217

1

you forgot braces in the second lower

– Vassiliy Vorobyov
Nov 12 '18 at 15:30

that i did, thanks

– vencaslac
Nov 12 '18 at 15:31

There's a condition where all the possible cases do need to be checked. As a word where one of the middle letters are uppercase (e.g 'pytHon') is meant to return false; but making it all lowercase will always return True

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:31

try it out now, i changed it

– vencaslac
Nov 12 '18 at 15:35

@vencaslac the error that was occurring is now fixed but when the whole string is uppercase, it returns false

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:43

|
show 2 more comments

Try this:

def is_english_word(string):
 with open("english_words.txt", "r") as fileObject:
 text = fileObject.read()
 return string in text or (string[0].lower() + string[1:]) in text

edited Nov 12 '18 at 15:40

answered Nov 12 '18 at 15:27

Vassiliy Vorobyov

1,11721434

It works! Thank you. However, it also returns True for when one of the middle letters in the word is uppercase, where it shouldn't. Eg 'pyThon' should return false but it returns True

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:30

I've updated an answer. Try it out.

– Vassiliy Vorobyov
Nov 12 '18 at 15:38

I understand what you tried doing by checking if the first letter is uppercase, but when it is, the function returns False for some reason

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:39

one more update

– Vassiliy Vorobyov
Nov 12 '18 at 15:40

1

What about strings of length 1?

– colidyre
Nov 12 '18 at 16:04

|
show 2 more comments

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2 Answers
2

active

oldest

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2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

you have an indent issue: the with statement needs to be one indent inside def:

def is_english_word( string ):
 with open("english_words.txt", "r") as fileObject:

 if string.istitle() or string.isupper():
 return string.lower() in fileObject.read()
 else:
 return string in fileObject.read()

there is no need to check for all of the possible cases of the input string, just make it all lowercase and check for that.

edited Nov 12 '18 at 15:45

answered Nov 12 '18 at 15:29

vencaslac

1,002217

1

you forgot braces in the second lower

– Vassiliy Vorobyov
Nov 12 '18 at 15:30

that i did, thanks

– vencaslac
Nov 12 '18 at 15:31

There's a condition where all the possible cases do need to be checked. As a word where one of the middle letters are uppercase (e.g 'pytHon') is meant to return false; but making it all lowercase will always return True

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:31

try it out now, i changed it

– vencaslac
Nov 12 '18 at 15:35

@vencaslac the error that was occurring is now fixed but when the whole string is uppercase, it returns false

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:43

|
show 2 more comments

you have an indent issue: the with statement needs to be one indent inside def:

def is_english_word( string ):
 with open("english_words.txt", "r") as fileObject:

 if string.istitle() or string.isupper():
 return string.lower() in fileObject.read()
 else:
 return string in fileObject.read()

there is no need to check for all of the possible cases of the input string, just make it all lowercase and check for that.

edited Nov 12 '18 at 15:45

answered Nov 12 '18 at 15:29

vencaslac

1,002217

1

you forgot braces in the second lower

– Vassiliy Vorobyov
Nov 12 '18 at 15:30

that i did, thanks

– vencaslac
Nov 12 '18 at 15:31

There's a condition where all the possible cases do need to be checked. As a word where one of the middle letters are uppercase (e.g 'pytHon') is meant to return false; but making it all lowercase will always return True

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:31

try it out now, i changed it

– vencaslac
Nov 12 '18 at 15:35

@vencaslac the error that was occurring is now fixed but when the whole string is uppercase, it returns false

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:43

|
show 2 more comments

you have an indent issue: the with statement needs to be one indent inside def:

def is_english_word( string ):
 with open("english_words.txt", "r") as fileObject:

 if string.istitle() or string.isupper():
 return string.lower() in fileObject.read()
 else:
 return string in fileObject.read()

there is no need to check for all of the possible cases of the input string, just make it all lowercase and check for that.

edited Nov 12 '18 at 15:45

answered Nov 12 '18 at 15:29

vencaslac

1,002217

you have an indent issue: the with statement needs to be one indent inside def:

def is_english_word( string ):
 with open("english_words.txt", "r") as fileObject:

 if string.istitle() or string.isupper():
 return string.lower() in fileObject.read()
 else:
 return string in fileObject.read()

there is no need to check for all of the possible cases of the input string, just make it all lowercase and check for that.

edited Nov 12 '18 at 15:45

answered Nov 12 '18 at 15:29

vencaslac

1,002217

edited Nov 12 '18 at 15:45

answered Nov 12 '18 at 15:29

vencaslac

1,002217

answered Nov 12 '18 at 15:29

vencaslac

1,002217

answered Nov 12 '18 at 15:29

vencaslac

1,002217

1

you forgot braces in the second lower

– Vassiliy Vorobyov
Nov 12 '18 at 15:30

that i did, thanks

– vencaslac
Nov 12 '18 at 15:31

There's a condition where all the possible cases do need to be checked. As a word where one of the middle letters are uppercase (e.g 'pytHon') is meant to return false; but making it all lowercase will always return True

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:31

try it out now, i changed it

– vencaslac
Nov 12 '18 at 15:35

@vencaslac the error that was occurring is now fixed but when the whole string is uppercase, it returns false

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:43

|
show 2 more comments

1

you forgot braces in the second lower

– Vassiliy Vorobyov
Nov 12 '18 at 15:30

that i did, thanks

– vencaslac
Nov 12 '18 at 15:31

There's a condition where all the possible cases do need to be checked. As a word where one of the middle letters are uppercase (e.g 'pytHon') is meant to return false; but making it all lowercase will always return True

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:31

try it out now, i changed it

– vencaslac
Nov 12 '18 at 15:35

@vencaslac the error that was occurring is now fixed but when the whole string is uppercase, it returns false

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:43

you forgot braces in the second lower

– Vassiliy Vorobyov
Nov 12 '18 at 15:30

that i did, thanks

– vencaslac
Nov 12 '18 at 15:31

There's a condition where all the possible cases do need to be checked. As a word where one of the middle letters are uppercase (e.g 'pytHon') is meant to return false; but making it all lowercase will always return True

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:31

try it out now, i changed it

– vencaslac
Nov 12 '18 at 15:35

@vencaslac the error that was occurring is now fixed but when the whole string is uppercase, it returns false

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:43

|
show 2 more comments

Try this:

def is_english_word(string):
 with open("english_words.txt", "r") as fileObject:
 text = fileObject.read()
 return string in text or (string[0].lower() + string[1:]) in text

edited Nov 12 '18 at 15:40

answered Nov 12 '18 at 15:27

Vassiliy Vorobyov

1,11721434

It works! Thank you. However, it also returns True for when one of the middle letters in the word is uppercase, where it shouldn't. Eg 'pyThon' should return false but it returns True

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:30

I've updated an answer. Try it out.

– Vassiliy Vorobyov
Nov 12 '18 at 15:38

I understand what you tried doing by checking if the first letter is uppercase, but when it is, the function returns False for some reason

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:39

one more update

– Vassiliy Vorobyov
Nov 12 '18 at 15:40

1

What about strings of length 1?

– colidyre
Nov 12 '18 at 16:04

|
show 2 more comments

Try this:

def is_english_word(string):
 with open("english_words.txt", "r") as fileObject:
 text = fileObject.read()
 return string in text or (string[0].lower() + string[1:]) in text

edited Nov 12 '18 at 15:40

answered Nov 12 '18 at 15:27

Vassiliy Vorobyov

1,11721434

It works! Thank you. However, it also returns True for when one of the middle letters in the word is uppercase, where it shouldn't. Eg 'pyThon' should return false but it returns True

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:30

I've updated an answer. Try it out.

– Vassiliy Vorobyov
Nov 12 '18 at 15:38

I understand what you tried doing by checking if the first letter is uppercase, but when it is, the function returns False for some reason

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:39

one more update

– Vassiliy Vorobyov
Nov 12 '18 at 15:40

1

What about strings of length 1?

– colidyre
Nov 12 '18 at 16:04

|
show 2 more comments

Try this:

def is_english_word(string):
 with open("english_words.txt", "r") as fileObject:
 text = fileObject.read()
 return string in text or (string[0].lower() + string[1:]) in text

edited Nov 12 '18 at 15:40

answered Nov 12 '18 at 15:27

Vassiliy Vorobyov

1,11721434

Try this:

def is_english_word(string):
 with open("english_words.txt", "r") as fileObject:
 text = fileObject.read()
 return string in text or (string[0].lower() + string[1:]) in text

edited Nov 12 '18 at 15:40

answered Nov 12 '18 at 15:27

Vassiliy Vorobyov

1,11721434

edited Nov 12 '18 at 15:40

answered Nov 12 '18 at 15:27

Vassiliy Vorobyov

1,11721434

answered Nov 12 '18 at 15:27

Vassiliy Vorobyov

1,11721434

answered Nov 12 '18 at 15:27

Vassiliy Vorobyov

1,11721434

It works! Thank you. However, it also returns True for when one of the middle letters in the word is uppercase, where it shouldn't. Eg 'pyThon' should return false but it returns True

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:30

I've updated an answer. Try it out.

– Vassiliy Vorobyov
Nov 12 '18 at 15:38

I understand what you tried doing by checking if the first letter is uppercase, but when it is, the function returns False for some reason

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:39

one more update

– Vassiliy Vorobyov
Nov 12 '18 at 15:40

1

What about strings of length 1?

– colidyre
Nov 12 '18 at 16:04

|
show 2 more comments

It works! Thank you. However, it also returns True for when one of the middle letters in the word is uppercase, where it shouldn't. Eg 'pyThon' should return false but it returns True

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:30

I've updated an answer. Try it out.

– Vassiliy Vorobyov
Nov 12 '18 at 15:38

I understand what you tried doing by checking if the first letter is uppercase, but when it is, the function returns False for some reason

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:39

one more update

– Vassiliy Vorobyov
Nov 12 '18 at 15:40

1

What about strings of length 1?

– colidyre
Nov 12 '18 at 16:04

It works! Thank you. However, it also returns True for when one of the middle letters in the word is uppercase, where it shouldn't. Eg 'pyThon' should return false but it returns True

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:30

I've updated an answer. Try it out.

– Vassiliy Vorobyov
Nov 12 '18 at 15:38

I understand what you tried doing by checking if the first letter is uppercase, but when it is, the function returns False for some reason

– anon2000
Nov 12 '18 at 15:39

one more update

– Vassiliy Vorobyov
Nov 12 '18 at 15:40

What about strings of length 1?

– colidyre
Nov 12 '18 at 16:04

|
show 2 more comments

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