Beginning Python - From Novice to Professional

CHAPTER 13 ■ DATABASE SUPPORT 293
Listing 13-1. Importing Data into the Database (importdata.py)
import sqlite
def convert(value):
if value.startswith('~'):
return value.strip('~')
if not value:
value = '0'
return float(value)
conn = sqlite.connect('food.db')
curs = conn.cursor()
curs.execute('''
CREATE TABLE food (
id TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
desc TEXT,
water FLOAT,
kcal FLOAT,
protein FLOAT,
fat FLOAT,
ash FLOAT,
carbs FLOAT,
fiber FLOAT,
sugar FLOAT
)
''')
field_count = 10
markers = ', '.join(['%s']*field_count)
query = 'INSERT INTO food VALUES (%s)' % markers
for line in open('ABBREV.txt'):
fields = line.split('^')
vals = [convert(f) for f in fields[:field_count]]
curs.execute(query, vals)
conn.commit()
conn.close()
When you run this program (with ABBREV.txt in the same directory), it will create a new file
called food.db, containing all the data of the database.
I’d really like to encourage you to play around with this example, using other inputs,
adding print statements, and the like.