How can I import this Excel file into Python?

Question

As title says, I'm having issues importing excel files that are on my computer into Python. FYI I'm relatively new at all this, so I might just outright say some things that are wrong. Anyways, I'm using Pycharm as my IDE, and this is what I've attempted thus far:

import pandas as pd 
fileLocation = "C:\Users\Dcwahl\Desktop\New folder\Diego\DATA 2017"
fileName = 'data_paretos.xlsx'
data = pd.ExcelFile(fileLocation + fileName)
print(data.sheet_names)

which gives me the following error:

SyntaxError: (unicode error) 'unicodeescape' codec can't decode bytes in position 2-3: truncated \UXXXXXXXX escape

Any thoughts on what I'm doing wrong? Thanks a ton.

Answer 1

There is a small mistake in the code.when you give the file location you have to make it

fileLocation = "C:\Users\Dcwahl\Desktop\New folder\Diego\DATA 2017\"
fileName = 'data_paretos.xlsx'

this is because when you call the method pd.ExcelFile(fileLocation + fileName) the filenamelocation+filename is returning - C:\Users\Dcwahl\Desktop\New folder\Diego\DATA 2017data_paretos.xlsx instead of C:\Users\Dcwahl\Desktop\New folder\Diego\DATA 2017\data_paretos.xlsx

Let me know if the problem still persists. Happy coding!

Answer 2

Another issue is the fact that python thinks you are trying to use an escape character after every slash. it says

'unicodeescape' codec can't decode bytes in position 2-3: truncated \UXXXXXXXX escape

\UXXXXXXXX is the C:\Users....So in addition to adding a trailing \ you must add a \ in front of all your \'s. Like so...

fileLocation = "C:\\Users\\Dcwahl\\Desktop\\New folder\\Diego\\DATA 2017\\"

Answer 3

The parameter you're passing to pd.ExcelFile is C:\Users\Dcwahl\Desktop\New folder\Diego\DATA 2017data_paretos.xlsx. You'll want to add another slash after your directory name.