How to Check if a File is Empty in Python

Описание: Learn how to effectively determine if a file is `empty` in Python, including how to handle various cases like empty lines, spaces, and tabs.
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/68501011/ asked by the user 'codeholic24' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/14557595/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/68501092/ provided by the user 'Harshal Parekh' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/8430155/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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How to Check if a File is Empty in Python: A Comprehensive Guide

Working with files in Python can sometimes present unique challenges, especially when it comes to determining whether a file is empty or not. In this post, we’ll explore a common scenario that many developers face: how to check if a file contains any meaningful data or if it’s truly empty under various conditions.

The Problem: Recognizing an Empty File

When checking a file for emptiness, we want to go beyond simply checking if the file has any bytes. Specifically, we need to consider three cases where a file might be regarded as empty:

Case 1: The file contains only empty lines (e.g., a file with line breaks but no actual data).

Case 2: The file consists solely of spaces (e.g., spaces without any records).

Case 3: The file contains only tabs, with no other data present.

If any of these conditions are true, we want our program to output "File is Empty".

The Initial Solution Attempt

Many developers might start with a basic method to check for file length. Here's an example approach using Python:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

While this code checks if the file has a size, it doesn't adequately handle our outlined scenarios, leaving room for improvement.

A Robust Solution

To check if a file is empty based on the three specific cases mentioned above, we can utilize the following refined approach using Python's string methods.

Here's an enhanced version of the isEmp function that addresses all cases effectively:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Explanation of the Code:

Opening the File: The with open(fname) statement opens the file safely, and ensures it gets closed afterwards.

Reading and Stripping Contents:

contents = f.read().strip(): This line reads the entire file and removes any leading or trailing whitespace characters, including spaces, tabs, and new lines.

Checking for Content:

The conditional if contents: checks if the stripped contents are not empty.

If contents evaluates as true, we print "Not empty". Otherwise, we indicate that the file is "Empty".

Conclusion

Using this refined method, you can efficiently check if a file is considered empty in several contexts within Python. Always remember to utilize string methods like .strip() to account for non-visible characters that might lead you to erroneously conclude that a file is non-empty.

Feel free to modify and expand upon this function based on your specific needs! Happy coding!