python remove extension from filename

Guri Bee

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17-10-2024

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Stripping File Extensions in Python: A Simple Guide

In the realm of programming, manipulating filenames is a common task. Often, you'll need to extract just the base name of a file, without its extension. This is particularly useful when working with file systems, processing data, or organizing your code. Python offers a straightforward way to achieve this using its powerful built-in functions.

The Power of os.path.splitext()

The os.path.splitext() function is your go-to tool for separating the filename from its extension. Let's break down how it works with a simple example:

import os

filename = "my_document.txt"
base_name, extension = os.path.splitext(filename)

print(f"Base name: {base_name}")
print(f"Extension: {extension}")

Output:

Base name: my_document
Extension: .txt

Explanation:

• os.path.splitext(filename): This function takes a filename as input and returns a tuple containing two elements: the base name and the extension.
• base_name: Stores the filename without the extension.
• extension: Holds the extension, including the dot (.) symbol.

Beyond the Basics

Let's explore how to handle various scenarios you might encounter while removing file extensions:

1. Dealing with Multiple Extensions:

Sometimes, you might encounter filenames with multiple extensions, like "image.png.gz". os.path.splitext() cleverly handles this:

filename = "image.png.gz"
base_name, extension = os.path.splitext(filename)
print(f"Base name: {base_name}")
print(f"Extension: {extension}")

Output:

Base name: image.png
Extension: .gz

2. Working with Complex Paths:

If you have a full file path, os.path.splitext() works seamlessly:

filepath = "/home/user/documents/report.pdf"
base_name, extension = os.path.splitext(filepath)
print(f"Base name: {base_name}")
print(f"Extension: {extension}")

Output:

Base name: /home/user/documents/report
Extension: .pdf

3. Handling Files Without Extensions:

For files lacking an extension, os.path.splitext() gracefully returns the full filename as the base name:

filename = "my_file"
base_name, extension = os.path.splitext(filename)
print(f"Base name: {base_name}")
print(f"Extension: {extension}")

Output:

Base name: my_file
Extension: 

Practical Application: File Renaming

One common use case for removing extensions is file renaming. Let's say you want to batch rename images to include a specific prefix:

import os

def rename_images(folder_path, prefix):
    for filename in os.listdir(folder_path):
        if filename.endswith((".jpg", ".png")):
            base_name, extension = os.path.splitext(filename)
            new_filename = f"{prefix}_{base_name}{extension}"
            os.rename(os.path.join(folder_path, filename), os.path.join(folder_path, new_filename))

rename_images("/path/to/images", "photo")

This snippet iterates through files in a directory, identifies image files, and renames them with the specified prefix.

Conclusion

Removing file extensions in Python is a breeze with os.path.splitext(). This function provides a flexible and efficient way to extract the base name of a file, paving the way for a wide range of tasks, from file manipulation to data processing.