Python Program to Find All File with .txt Extension Present Inside a Directory

Introduction

Working with files in Python allows for robust file manipulation and management, including recognizing and organizing files according to their extensions. A common task you might face as a developer or system administrator is identifying all .txt files within a specific directory. This is particularly useful for tasks like batch processing, data analysis, or log file management.

In this article, you will learn how to create a Python program to find all files with a .txt extension in a given directory. Explore different methods to accomplish this task efficiently using Python's built-in libraries.

Utilizing the os Module

Basic Directory Scanning for '.txt' Files

1. Import the os module, which provides a way to work with file system paths, directories, and file names.

2. Use os.listdir() to fetch all entries in the specified directory.

3. Filter the entries to find files that end with the '.txt' extension.

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   import os
   
   directory = '/path/to/directory'
   files = os.listdir(directory)
   txt_files = [file for file in files if file.endswith('.txt')]
   
   for file in txt_files:
       print(file)

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   This code block lists all the .txt files in the specified directory. The listdir() method retrieves all files and directories in the provided path, and the list comprehension filters out files ending with '.txt'.

Combining Paths Properly

1. It's essential to handle file paths appropriately across different operating systems.

2. Use os.path.join() to construct the full file path correctly.

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   path = '/path/to/directory'
   txt_files = [file for file in os.listdir(path) if file.endswith('.txt')]
   
   for file in txt_files:
       full_path = os.path.join(path, file)
       print(full_path)

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   This enhancement ensures that the file paths are correctly formed by joining the directory path with the file name efficiently.

Using the glob Module for Pattern Matching

Simple Globbing to Find '.txt' Files

1. Use the glob module which provides a function glob.glob() specifically designed to find all pathnames matching a specified pattern.

2. Direct the glob() function to match .txt files within the target directory.

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   import glob
   
   directory = '/path/to/directory'
   txt_files = glob.glob(f'{directory}/*.txt')
   
   for file in txt_files:
       print(file)

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   This code directly fetches all files that match the '*.txt' pattern in the specified directory. The glob() function simplifies the process by ignoring non-matching files entirely.

Conclusion

Leverage Python's os and glob modules to find all files with a .txt extension in a directory efficiently. This skill is essential for file management tasks in many professional scenarios. Whether for simple file sorting or complex file manipulation programs, understanding these methods ensures you can handle files in Python effectively, enhancing productivity and organizational workflows.