deleting file if it exists; python

Question

I want to create a file; if it already exists I want to delete it and create it anew. I tried doing it like this but it throws a Win32 error. What am I doing wrong?

Answer 1

Windows won't let you delete an open file (unless it's opened with unusual sharing options). You'll need to close it before deleting it:

try:
    with open(os.path.expanduser('~') + '\Desktop\input.txt') as existing_file:
        existing_file.close()
        os.remove(os.path.expanduser('~') + '\Desktop\input.txt')