python split string on whitespace

Question

I am trying to convert a copy/pasted text to a csv, which I can split after. The problem is that there are whitespace tabs in it that I can't seem to get rid of

Example Copy/Paste:

Amarr Hybrid Tech Decryptor 12  Decryptors - Hybrid         12 m3
Ancient Coordinates Database    23  Sleeper Components          2.30 m3
Caldari Hybrid Tech Decryptor   17  Decryptors - Hybrid         17 m3
Carbon  17  General         34 m3
Cartesian Temporal Coordinator  4   Ancient Salvage         0.04 m3
Central System Controller   2   Ancient Salvage         0.02 m3

Now I'm trying to get something like this:

Amarr Hybrid Tech Decryptor,12,Decryptors - Hybrid,12,m3,
Ancient Coordinates Database,23,Sleeper Components,2.30,m3,
Caldari Hybrid Tech Decryptor,17,Decryptors - Hybrid,17,m3,
Carbon,17,General,34,m3,
Cartesian Temporal Coordinator,4,Ancient Salvage,0.04,m3,
Central System Controller,2,Ancient Salvage,0.02,m3,

(will always be those 5 separations per line

I have been trying to do this on various ways Split by comma and strip whitespace in Python but I can't seem to get it to work.

@login_required
def index(request):
    if request.method == "POST":
        form = SellListForm(request.POST)
        if form.is_valid():
            selllist = form.save(commit=False)
            selllist.user = request.user
            string = selllist.sell
            string = [x.strip() for x in string.split(',')] 
            print string
            return HttpResponseRedirect(reverse('processed'))
    else:
        form = SellListForm()
    return render(request, 'index.html', {'form': form})

returns

[u'&lt;&lt;&lt;SULTS STUFF&gt;&gt;&gt;\t\t\tVoucher\t\t\t0 m3\r\nAmarr Hybrid Tech Decryptor\t12\tDecryptors - Hybrid\t\t\t12 m3\r\nAncient Coordinates Database\t23\tSleeper Components\t\t\t2.30 m3\r\nCaldari Hybrid Tech Decryptor\t17\tDecryptors - Hybrid\t\t\t17 m3\r\nCarbon\t17\tGeneral\t\t\t34 m3\r\nCartesian Temporal Coordinator\t4\tAncient Salvage\t\t\t0.04 m3\r\nCentral System Controller\t2\tAncient Salvage\t\t\t0.02 m3']

possible duplicate of [how in python to split a string with unknown number of spaces as separator?](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4309684/how-in-python-to-split-a-string-with-unknown-number-of-spaces-as-separator) — tripleee, Jun 25 '15 at 06:27
The answer to which is to use split with no parameters, as multiple earlier questions on this site show — Mawg says reinstate Monica, Feb 23 '16 at 08:15

Maxime Lorant · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-24T12:17:29.650

8

I see that you have several \t sometimes. I'd use the re module to split correctly:

for line in lines:
    linedata = re.split(r'\t+', line)
    print ",".join(linedata)

edited Jan 24 '14 at 12:17

answered Jan 24 '14 at 12:07

Maxime Lorant

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With line, you mean 1 line of the copy paste? (so handle this per line)? – Hans de Jong Jan 24 '14 at 12:15
Yes, sorry. `line` is one line of your file. I've modified the example to be more explicit – Maxime Lorant Jan 24 '14 at 12:17

jonrsharpe · Answer 2 · 2014-01-24T12:09:05.720

2

You can split on tabs:

line = line.split('\t')

Unless you particularly need the comma-separated values, you can just paste your text straight into a file, open it, split on the tabs and use the data without ever introducing commas.

edited Jan 24 '14 at 12:09

answered Jan 24 '14 at 12:00

jonrsharpe

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python split string on whitespace

2 Answers2