How to Run Multiple Files on a Script Accepting Multiple Inputs in Python

Running multiple files on a script that accepts multiple inputs can be a powerful way to automate tasks and streamline workflows. In this article, I’ll guide you through the process of setting up such a script in Python, ensuring that you can efficiently handle multiple files at once. Let’s dive in.

Understanding the Basics

Before we get started, it’s important to understand the basics of how Python handles files and input arguments. Python scripts can accept input arguments from the command line, which allows you to specify files or other parameters when running the script.

Setting Up Your Python Environment

Make sure you have Python installed on your system. You can check this by opening a terminal or command prompt and typing `python –version`. If Python is installed, it will display the version number. If not, you’ll need to download and install it from the official Python website.

Creating the Script

Now, let’s create a Python script that can accept multiple input files. Open your favorite text editor and create a new file named `run_multiple_files.py`. Here’s a basic structure to get you started:

def process_file(file_path):     Process the file here    print(f"Processing {file_path}")if __name__ == "__main__":    import sys    if len(sys.argv) < 2:        print("Usage: python run_multiple_files.py file1.py file2.py ...")        sys.exit(1)    for file_path in sys.argv[1:]:        process_file(file_path)    

This script defines a `process_file` function that you can use to process each file. The `if __name__ == "__main__":` block checks if the script is being run directly (not imported as a module) and then processes each file passed as an argument to the script.

Running the Script

Save the script and run it from the command line by passing the paths to the files you want to process. For example:

python run_multiple_files.py file1.py file2.py file3.py

This will process `file1.py`, `file2.py`, and `file3.py` in sequence.

Handling Different File Types

What if you want to handle different file types? You can modify the `process_file` function to check the file extension and perform different actions based on the file type. Here's an example:

def process_file(file_path):    if file_path.endswith('.txt'):         Process text files        print(f"Processing text file: {file_path}")    elif file_path.endswith('.csv'):         Process CSV files        print(f"Processing CSV file: {file_path}")    else:        print(f"Unsupported file type: {file_path}")if __name__ == "__main__":    import sys    if len(sys.argv) < 2:        print("Usage: python run_multiple_files.py file1.txt file2.csv ...")        sys.exit(1)    for file_path in sys.argv[1:]:        process_file(file_path)    

This script now checks the file extension and processes text files and CSV files differently. You can add more conditions to handle other file types as needed.

Optimizing Performance

When processing multiple files, performance can become a concern. Here are a few tips to optimize your script:

Conclusion

Running multiple files on a script