Parse a json txt file with python

Question

I have a txt file which contains json string on each line with first line like this:

{"rating": 9.3, "genres": ["Crime", "Drama"], "rated": "R", "filming_locations": "Ashland, Ohio, USA", "language": ["English"], "title": "The Shawshank Redemption", "runtime": ["142 min"], "poster": "http://img3.douban.com/lpic/s1311361.jpg", "imdb_url": "http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111161/", "writers": ["Stephen King", "Frank Darabont"], "imdb_id": "tt0111161", "directors": ["Frank Darabont"], "rating_count": 894012, "actors": ["Tim Robbins", "Morgan Freeman", "Bob Gunton", "William Sadler", "Clancy Brown", "Gil Bellows", "Mark Rolston", "James Whitmore", "Jeffrey DeMunn", "Larry Brandenburg", "Neil Giuntoli", "Brian Libby", "David Proval", "Joseph Ragno", "Jude Ciccolella"], "plot_simple": "Two imprisoned men bond over a number of years, finding solace and eventual redemption through acts of common decency.", "year": 1994, "country": ["USA"], "type": "M", "release_date": 19941014, "also_known_as": ["Die Verurteilten"]}

I want to get data for imdb_id and title.

I have tried:

import json
data = json.load('movie_acotrs_data.txt')

But got 'str' object has no attribute 'read'

What should I do to get the result I expected?

Barmar · Accepted Answer · 2019-09-13T21:56:37.777

3

json.load() expects the file to be just one long JSON string. You can't use it if it's a separate JSON string on each line. You need to read each line and call json.loads().

import json
with open('movie_actors_data.txt') as f:
    data = list(map(json.loads, f))

data will be a list of dictionaries.

If you just want a few properties, you can use a list comprehension.

with open('movie_actors_data.txt') as f:
    data = [{"title": x["title"], "imdb_id": x["imdb_id"]} for x in map(json.loads, f)]

edited Sep 13 '19 at 21:56

answered Sep 13 '19 at 21:51

Barmar

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Probably cleaner as a list comprehension – scnerd Sep 13 '19 at 21:53
Thanks! It parses all the data. How could I only get the imdb_id and title from here? – iilla Sep 13 '19 at 21:54
Added a list comprehension that selects specific properties. – Barmar Sep 13 '19 at 21:57

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 13 '19 at 21:46

1

json.load takes an open file, not a file path.

data = json.load(open('movie_acotrs_data.txt'))

answered Sep 13 '19 at 21:46

scnerd

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1

Better within a `with` block I suppose. – Anoop R Desai Sep 13 '19 at 21:49
I tried it and the result says: JSONDecodeError: Extra data: line 2 column 1 (char 936) – iilla Sep 13 '19 at 21:50
This doesn't work with multiple JSON strings in the file. – Barmar Sep 13 '19 at 21:58

Parse a json txt file with python

2 Answers2