Question

I posted a question yesterday here: Finding and adding to a .kml file using python

I have read a bunch of tutorial and now have a better understanding of python and that is good. Yet I still can’t seem to get my script right. I know I am so very close. Basically I want to add a bunch of jpg’s to a .kml file, which is basically .xml in google earth. I want my program to find a google earth “placemarker” in the xml file called:
TO-XXX

where XXX matches the TO-XXX.jpg. I already have a folder with a bunch of .jpgs whose filename matches the name of each placemarker. I need the program to find the

<name> (for example <name>TO-101</name>) 

and add a line right below the name line with a:

<description> <img src=TO-101.jpg></description>. 

So, I have the code written, but I just can’t seem to get it to find the . Which is always written:

"\t\t\t<name>TO-XXX</name>\n".

So, here is the code:

import os

infile = 'TO-Hand-Holes2.kml' # the file I am reading
outfile = 'TO-Hand-Holes-Output.kml' # the file I plan to write to, using print for now
images = os.listdir("./images") # the images folder, all image names match names

source = open(infile, 'r')
target = open(outfile, 'w')

x = 0 #an incrementer
i = 0 # an incrementer

readxml = source.readline
while x < 20000:   #There are about 17,000 lines in the .kml file
    readxml = source.readline()
    while i < len(images):
        word = images[i]
        if readxml == "\t\t\t<name>%s</name>\n" % word[:6]: #!!!!!!!!! the problem is here
            print readxml #output the <name>
            print word[:6] #output the <description>
            hit = 'true'
            i = i + 1
        else:
            hit = 'false'
            #print "test%s" % word[:6]
            i = i + 1
    if hit == 'false':
        print ("%s") % readxml
    x = x + 1

I just can’t seem to get it to recognize the lines. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Because indentation is syntax in python you really need to be careful about where things are located. This may come closer. It’s not 100% complete, but it will point you in the right direction:

with open(infile) as fhi, open(outfile, 'w') as fho:
  for line in fhi:
    if line == 'myMatchString':
      fho.write(line.replace('this', 'that'))

That uses the multiple file syntax for the with statement, which was introduced in 2.7. Prior to 2.7 you’ll have to nest a second with to get the second file.