Format path within Text File for consumption in Python

Question

I am writing a Python script for use by multiple non-Python users. I have a text file containing the parameters my script needs to run.

One of the inputs is a path. I cannot get my script to run and was thinking it was because I had referenced my path incorrectly.

I have tried:

C:\temp\test
"C:\temp\test"
r"C:\temp\test"
C:/temp/test
"C:/temp/test"
C:\\temp\\test
"C:\\temp\\test"

I have added each one of these into a text file, which is called and read in my Python script. I have other parameters and they are called correctly, my script seems to run when I hard code the path in. I say seems because I think there are a few bugs I need to check, but it runs with no errors.

When I use the text file I get this error - which varies depending on if I used one of the above examples:

WindowsError: [Error 123] The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect: 'c:\temp\match1\jpg\n/.'

My code is as follows:

print ("Linking new attachments to feature")    
fp = open(r"C:\temp\Match1\Match_Table.txt","r") #reads my text file with inputs

lines=fp.readlines()

InFeat = lines[1]
print (InFeat) 

AttFolder = lines[3] #reads the folder from the text file
print (AttFolder)

OutTable = lines[5] 
if arcpy.Exists(OutTable):
    print("Table Exists")
    arcpy.Delete_management(OutTable)

OutTable = lines[5]
print (OutTable)

LinkF = lines[7]
print (LinkF)
fp.close()


#adding from https://community.esri.com/thread/90280

if arcpy.Exists("in_memory\\matchtable"):
    arcpy.Delete_management("in_memory\\matchtable")
print ("CK Done")
input = InFeat
inputField = "OBJECTID"

matchTable = arcpy.CreateTable_management("in_memory", "matchtable")
matchField = "MatchID"
pathField = "Filename"
print ("Table Created")
arcpy.AddField_management(matchTable, matchField, "TEXT")
arcpy.AddField_management(matchTable, pathField, "TEXT")


picFolder = r"C:\temp\match1\JPG" #hard coded in


print (picFolder)

print ("Fields added")

fields = ["MatchID", "Filename"]
cursor = arcpy.da.InsertCursor(matchTable, fields)
  ##go thru the picFolder of .png images to attach
for file in os.listdir(picFolder):
    if str(file).find(".jpg") > -1:
       pos = int(str(file).find("."))
       newfile = str(file)[0:pos]
       cursor.insertRow((newfile, file))
del cursor

arcpy.AddAttachments_management(input, inputField, matchTable, matchField, pathField, picFolder)

Answer 1

From your error "'c:\temp\match1\jpg\n/.'", i can see "\n" character, \n is symbole of new line ( when you press enter button ) you should remove that character from end of your path! did you try to do that? you can use .lstrip("\n") , replcae() or regx methods for remove that character.

Try to open and read line by line of your input file like this:

read_lines = [line.rstrip('\n') for line in open(r"C:\temp\Match1\Match_Table.txt")]
print(read_lines)
print(read_lines[1])