Python 2.7: Print to File

Question

Why does trying to print directly to a file instead of sys.stdout produce the following syntax error:

Python 2.7.2+ (default, Oct  4 2011, 20:06         


        

Answer 1

In Python 3.0+, print is a function, which you'd call with print(...). In earlier version, print is a statement, which you'd make with print ....

To print to a file in Python earlier than 3.0, you'd do:

print >> f, 'what ever %d', i

The >> operator directs print to the file f.

Answer 2

print(args, file=f1) is the python 3.x syntax. For python 2.x use print >> f1, args.

Answer 3

This will redirect your 'print' output to a file:

import sys
sys.stdout = open("file.txt", "w+")
print "this line will redirect to file.txt"

Answer 4

print is a keyword in python 2.X. You should use the following:

f1=open('./testfile', 'w+')
f1.write('This is a test')
f1.close()

Answer 5

If you want to use the print function in Python 2, you have to import from __future__:

from __future__ import print_function

But you can have the same effect without using the function, too:

print >>f1, 'This is a test'

Answer 6

You can export print statement to file without changing any code. Simply open a terminal windows and run your code in this way:

python yourcode.py >> log.txt