Python split string that have two delimited

Question

I want to know how to split a string with more then one delimiter. I have a problem splitting if one is space?

I trying to read a text file that has this:

22.0;2016-01-16 00:16:18

I know how to read a text file to a variable, but when I have problem to split even a string I can't go further.

All I have now is this code:

with open('datasource_3.txt', 'r') as f:
     data = f.readlines()
     for line in data:
         words = line.strip().split(';')
    print words

Possible duplicate of [Python: Split string with multiple delimiters](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4998629/python-split-string-with-multiple-delimiters) — midori, Jan 15 '16 at 23:48

score 4 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 15 '16 at 23:34

4

You can split with the regular expression ;|, like so:

import re

x = '22.0;2016-01-16 00:16:18'
print re.split(';| ', x)

This prints ['22.0', '2016-01-16', '00:16:18'].

answered Jan 15 '16 at 23:34

Nicholas

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7

Thank you it works greate I did just add .strip() to make it work like I want to THANKS – Cazz Jan 16 '16 at 00:19
No problem! You can add, e.g., `;| |,|-` to the regex if you want to recognize more delimiters. – Nicholas Jan 16 '16 at 01:23

score 0 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 11:52

0

You can use a list comprehension:

>>> x = "22.0;2016-01-16 00:16:18"
>>> x.strip().split(';')
['22.0', '2016-01-16 00:16:18']
>>> y = [word.split(' ') for word in x.split(';')]
>>> y
[['22.0'], ['2016-01-16', '00:16:18']]
>>> [item for sublist in y for item in sublist]
['22.0', '2016-01-16', '00:16:18']

This is the equivalent of splitting your initial input, then splitting each result on your second delimiter. Finally, you 'flatten' the list.

As a one-liner, this is what you're looking for:

[item for sublist in [word.split(' ') for word in x.strip().split(';')] for item in sublist]

edited May 23 '17 at 11:52

Community

1
1

answered Jan 15 '16 at 23:31

Nathaniel Ford

20,545
20
91
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Now add the `re` one liner. :) – hpaulj Jan 15 '16 at 23:35
it's very verbose solution for such a simple task – midori Jan 15 '16 at 23:43

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Jan 15 '16 at 23:51

itertools can be of help here

import itertools

s = '22.0;2016-01-16 00:16:18'

sp = itertools.chain(*([x] if not i else x.split(' ')
                       for i, x in enumerate(s.split(';'))))

print(list(sp))

Output:

['22.0', '2016-01-16', '00:16:18']

With a potentially more elegant or (instead of if) syntax:

sp = itertools.chain(*([x] * (not i) or x.split(' ') for i, x in enumerate(s.split(';'))))

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Jan 15 '16 at 23:52

You can use shlex to create your own parser:

import shlex

def split_multi(_str, delims="", ws=True):
    parser = shlex.shlex(_str, posix=True)
    parser.whitespace_split = ws
    parser.whitespace += delims
    return pars

Demo:

In [15]: sh = split_multi(s, ";")

In [16]: list(sh)
Out[16]: ['22.0', '2016-01-16', '00:16:18']

Python split string that have two delimited

4 Answers4