IOError: [Errno 22] invalid mode ('r') or filename: 'c:\\Python27\test.txt'

Question

What is wrong with the following:

test_file=open('c:\\Python27\test.txt','r')

Your question doubles the backslash in one place but not the second. Your code uses single backslashes. Can you make the filename a raw string? — Eric Jablow, Mar 24 '13 at 12:00

score 83 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 24 '13 at 12:00

83

\t is a tab character. Use a raw string instead:

test_file=open(r'c:\Python27\test.txt','r')

or double the slashes:

test_file=open('c:\\Python27\\test.txt','r')

or use forward slashes instead:

test_file=open('c:/Python27/test.txt','r')

answered Mar 24 '13 at 12:00

Martijn Pieters

What If I want to access an external file? Like below? This too gives the same error message. fileResp = open('https://www.google.co.in/images/branding/googlelogo/1x/googlelogo_color_272x92dp.png', 'rb') – Krishna Gupta Apr 14 '20 at 09:27
1

@KrishnaGupta: `open()` can only access files, not URLs. – Martijn Pieters Apr 14 '20 at 14:00

score 3 · Answer 2 · edited May 15 '14 at 07:54

3

\ is an escape character in Python. \t gets interpreted as a tab. If you need \ character in a string, you have to use \\.

Your code should be:
test_file=open('c:\\Python27\\test.txt','r')

edited May 15 '14 at 07:54

twlkyao

answered Mar 24 '13 at 12:06

Scintillo

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 24 '13 at 12:14

2

always use 'r' to get a raw string when you want to avoid escape.

test_file=open(r'c:\Python27\test.txt','r')

answered Mar 24 '13 at 12:14

Yarkee

Is there a way to prepend the raw modifier to a string? – GreySage Mar 30 '17 at 22:50
yes, I cant believe noone gives an answer to this obvious question – Phil Sep 03 '18 at 06:48

score 1 · Answer 4 · edited May 15 '14 at 07:56

1

\t in a string marks an escape sequence for a tab character. For a literal \, use \\.

edited May 15 '14 at 07:56

twlkyao

answered Mar 24 '13 at 12:00

svk

4 Answers4