imdb.py

#!/usr/bin/env python

# import a bunch of python libraries that we'll need later.
import sys
import os
import re

# This stores a variable called imdb_text which just stores the textfile filename.
imdb_text = sys.argv[1]
# This just stores the new edited sidecat textfile.
new_textfile  = imdb_text + '_edited_by_script.txt'
# This will print a statement to the screen.
print('You have chosen %s as your input' % imdb_text)

# This opens up your textfile and reads the lines and stores them as a list.
with open(imdb_text, 'r') as textobject:
    lines = textobject.readlines()
# This iterates through each line in the list:
for line in lines:
    # This pulls out the bit before the first tab
    agent = re.split(r'\t+', line)[0]
    # these are the dots
    nonsense = re.split(r'\t+', line)[1]
    # this pulls out the bit after the last tab
    role =  re.split(r'\t+', line)[2].rstrip()
    with open(new_textfile, 'a') as fo:
        fo.write("|%s (%s)\n" % (agent, role))
print('A new textfile has been created here: %s' % new_textfile)