replacing every 4 word string in a text file

Question

def abc(filename):
    infile = open(filename, 'r+')
    read = infile.read()
    lst = read.split()

    for i in lst:
        if len(i) == 4:
            i.replace(i, 'abcd')
            print(i)

abc('question 4.txt')

I want to replace 4 character strings in my text file but apparently this is not happening. Everything seems to be working fine but the replacing function is not responding.

[Why doesn't calling a Python string method do anything unless you assign its output?](https://stackoverflow.com/q/9189172/1324033) — Sayse, Dec 05 '19 at 11:12

score 0 · Answer 1 · edited Dec 05 '19 at 11:14

0

This is a possible solution:

 for n, i in enumerate(lst):
    if len(i) == 4:
        lst[n] = 'abcd'

edited Dec 05 '19 at 11:14

Riccardo Bucco

13,980
4
22
50

answered Dec 05 '19 at 11:11

rajvi

150
11

replacing every 4 word string in a text file

1 Answers1