Introduction to Tar Files and Working with Tarfile Module in Python
Tar files, also known as Archive files, are used to combine and store multiple files into one single file. These files are commonly used as backups or distribution packages, and they are widely used in Open-Source software programs.
This article will discuss Tar files, their benefits, and how to use the Tarfile module in Python to create and manage Tar files. Python is an open-source programming language used by developers worldwide.
Its popularity is due to its flexibility and ease of use in developing various types of applications. One of the modules in Python used for creating, reading, and extracting Tar files is the Tarfile module.
Creating Tar Files with Tarfile Module
Creating Tar files with the Tarfile module in Python is simple and straightforward. To create a Tar file, you first need to open the file and then add the files you want to include in the archive.
Steps Involved:
- Open a file using the open() function.
- Create a TarFile object with the name and mode of the archive file.
- Use the add() method to add files to the Tar file.
Example Code for Creating Tar File in Python
Let’s say you want to create a Tar file in Python containing multiple text files. Here’s an example code that shows how to create a Tar file in Python.
import os
import tarfile
def make_tarfile(output_filename, source_dir):
with tarfile.open(output_filename, "w:gz") as tar:
tar.add(source_dir, arcname=os.path.basename(source_dir))
if __name__ == "__main__":
make_tarfile("my_text_files.tar.gz", "/path/to/text/files")
In the above code, the make_tarfile() function creates a Tar file with the specified output filename, while the source_dir parameter specifies the location of the text files to be added to the archive. The function output is a Tar file named my_text_files.tar.gz, which contains the text files.
Screenshot of Files Before Creating Tar File
Before creating the Tar file, you can take a screenshot of the folder that contains the files to be added to the Tar file. The screenshot helps to confirm the files included in the Tar file and their location.
Screenshot of Created Tar File
After creating the Tar file, you can take a screenshot of the archive to confirm that the files were correctly included in the archive. The screenshot can also confirm the size and location of the Tar file.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Tar files are an essential function when handling multiple files. They provide the ease of combining files and storing them in a singular file.
The Tarfile module in Python provides an efficient method for creating, reading, and extracting Tar files in Python scripts. This article provides an overview of Tar files, their benefits, and how to use the Tarfile module in Python to create and manage Tar files.
With this knowledge, developers can create Tar files in their Python scripts with ease.
3) Checking and Viewing the Contents of Tar Files
Tar files are used to combine multiple files and directories into a single file. These files are commonly used for backups or distribution packages.
In Python, the Tarfile module provides functionalities to create, read, and extract Tar files. This section will cover how to check if a file is a Tar file and how to view the contents of a Tar file without extracting them.
Checking if a File is a Tar File
Before manipulating a file, it is best practice to check if it is of the correct format. The Tarfile module in Python provides the is_tarfile() function to verify whether a given file is a Tar file or not.
The function takes a filename as input and returns True if the file is a Tar file; otherwise, it returns False.
Example Code for Checking If File is a Tar File
Here’s an example code that shows how to use the is_tarfile() function in Python:
import tarfile
import os
filename = "example_file.tar.gz"
if tarfile.is_tarfile(filename):
print(filename, "is a Tar file.")
else:
print(filename, "is not a Tar file.")
In the above code, the is_tarfile() function checks if a given filename is a Tar file. If the file is a Tar file, it prints a message that the file is a Tar file; otherwise, it prints a message that the file is not a Tar file.
Viewing the Contents Without Extracting Them
To view the contents of a Tar file without extracting them, we can use the getnames() function of the Tarfile module. This function returns a list of filenames contained in the Tar file.
We can then iterate over the list of filenames and print them out to the console.
Example Code for Viewing Contents of Tar File in Python
Here’s an example code that shows how to use the getnames() function to view the contents of a Tar file:
import tarfile
filename = "example_file.tar"
with tarfile.open(filename) as tar:
print("The following files are included in the Tar file:")
for name in tar.getnames():
print(name)
In the above code, we first open the Tar file using the open() function. We then use the getnames() function to get a list of filenames contained in the Tar file.
Finally, we iterate over the list of filenames and print them to the console.
4) Appending Files to Tar Files
The Tarfile module in Python provides the ability to append files to an existing Tar file. This is useful if you need to add additional files to an existing archive.
Method for Appending Files to Tar Files
To append files to a Tar file, we first need to open the Tar file in “append” mode. This can be done using the open() function with the “a” flag.
We can then use the append() method of the Tarfile object to add the files we want to append to the Tar file.
Example Code for Appending Files in Python
Here’s an example code that shows how to append files to a Tar file in Python:
import tarfile
filename = "example_file.tar"
with tarfile.open(filename, "a") as tar:
print("Existing contents of Tar file:")
for name in tar.getnames():
print(name)
files_to_add = ["new_file_1.txt", "new_file_2.txt"]
for file in files_to_add:
tar.add(file)
print("New contents of Tar file:")
for name in tar.getnames():
print(name)
In the above code, we first open the Tar file in “append” mode using the open() function with the “a” flag. We then print the existing contents of the Tar file using the getnames() function.
We then specify the files to add to the Tar file and use the add() method to add them. Finally, we print the new contents of the Tar file using the getnames() function.
Conclusion
In this article, we have discussed how to use the Tarfile module in Python to create, read, and extract Tar files. We have also covered how to check if a file is a Tar file, how to view the contents of a Tar file without extracting them, and how to append files to a Tar file.
With this knowledge, developers can effectively manage Tar files in their Python scripts.
5) Extracting a Single File from Tar File
The Tarfile module in Python provides the functionality to extract a single file from a Tar file. This can be useful when you only need to extract one file from a large Tar archive.
In this section, we will discuss how to extract a single file from a Tar file.
Method for Extracting a Single File
To extract a single file from a Tar file, we can use the extractfile() method of the Tarfile object. This method takes a filename as input and returns a file-like object that can be used to read the contents of the file.
We can then read the contents of the file and write them to a new file in the working directory.
Example Code for Extracting Single File in Python
Here’s an example code that shows how to extract a single file from a Tar file in Python:
import tarfile
import os
filename = "example_file.tar"
file_to_extract = "file_to_extract.txt"
with tarfile.open(filename) as tar:
content = tar.extractfile(file_to_extract).read()
output_filename = os.path.join(os.getcwd(), file_to_extract)
with open(output_filename, "wb") as f:
f.write(content)
print("File extracted to:", output_filename)
In the above code, we first open the Tar file using the open() function. We then extract the contents of the specified file using the extractfile() method, which returns a file-like object of the specified file.
We then read the contents of the file and write them to a new file in the working directory. Finally, we print the location of the extracted file.
6) Extracting All Files from Tar File
Sometimes, we need to extract all files from a Tar file. To do this, we can use the extractall() method of the Tarfile object.
This method extracts all the files in the Tar file to the specified output folder.
Method for Extracting All Files
To extract all files from a Tar file, we can use the extractall() method of the Tarfile object. This method takes an output folder as input and extracts all the files in the Tar file to the specified folder.
Example Code for Extracting All Files in Python
Here’s an example code that shows how to extract all files from a Tar file in Python:
import tarfile
import os
filename = "example_file.tar"
output_folder = "extracted"
with tarfile.open(filename) as tar:
tar.extractall(output_folder)
print("All files extracted to:", os.path.join(os.getcwd(), output_folder))
In the above code, we first open the Tar file using the open() function. We then use the extractall() method to extract all the files in the Tar file to the specified output folder.
Finally, we print the location of the extracted files.
Conclusion
In this article, we have discussed how to use the Tarfile module in Python to extract a single file and all files from a Tar file. The extractfile() method can be used to extract a single file by specifying the filename, while the extractall() method can be used to extract all files to the specified output folder.
With this knowledge, developers can effectively manage Tar files in their Python scripts. In summary, this article has discussed Tar files and the Tarfile module in Python.
We explored how to create Tar files, check if a file is a Tar file, view the contents of a Tar file without extracting them, append files to a Tar file, extract a single file, and extract all files from a Tar file. These functionalities are essential when handling multiple files, especially when archiving or distributing files.
We have shown how Python can efficiently create, read, and extract Tar files using the Tarfile module. It is crucial to understand these concepts and functionalities when working with multiple files, regardless of the programming language.
The takeaway is that developers can effectively manage Tar files in their Python scripts by applying the learned concepts and functionalities.