Python Download files, but they are empty?

Question

I'm trying to download file with Python (2.7) using code below - But why I get empty file? Can somebody point me the "leak" - what am I missing?

How to get original file with text inside?

import urllib2

url = 'https://www.dropbox.com/s/splz3vk9pl1tbgz/test.txt?dl=0'
user_agent = 'Mozilla 5.0 (Windows 7; Win64; x64)'
file_name = "test.txt"
u = urllib2.Request(url, headers = {'User-Agent' : user_agent})
f = open(file_name, 'wb')
f.close()

Because you open a file and then immediately close it. Did you mean to write some data in between? — Daniel Roseman, Mar 22 '16 at 10:01
yes. I want data between how to implement it? google search - no love — David Graig, Mar 22 '16 at 10:08
All you have to do is search for _python download file_ and there are *loads* of examples. Wouldn't that be easier than asking a question on Stack Overflow? — DisappointedByUnaccountableMod, Mar 22 '16 at 10:10
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/22676/how-do-i-download-a-file-over-http-using-python — mootmoot, Mar 22 '16 at 10:19

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 22 '16 at 10:09

Your current code is:

never actually sending out the HTTP request; Request() just builds a request, urlopen() actually sends it;
never actually writing anything to the file with f.write(), you're just opening a file and immediately closing it.

A full example might look like:

import urllib2

url = 'https://www.dropbox.com/s/splz3vk9pl1tbgz/test.txt?dl=0'
user_agent = 'Mozilla 5.0 (Windows 7; Win64; x64)'
file_name = "test.txt"
u = urllib2.Request(url, headers = {'User-Agent' : user_agent})

# Actually make the request
req = urllib2.urlopen(u)

f = open(file_name, 'wb')

# Read data from the request, and write it to the file
f.write(req.read())

f.close()

thanks to all for you comments and answer/ Hope this improve my google skills — David Graig, Mar 22 '16 at 12:00

Python Download files, but they are empty?

1 Answers1