replace or remove text from many text files

[Pedroski55]

For regex advice try https://www.rexegg.com

Here a simpler, easier to understand regex to do what you want:

import re
from pathlib import Path

afile = Path(r'/home/peterr/temp/OFINI field definitions1.txt')
newfile = Path(r'/home/peterr/temp/OFINI field definitions1.txt.altered')

# easier to understand regex
# get everything except the first and last "
# I don't think you need worry about multilinelines in your files
h = re.compile(r'\A"(.*)"\Z')

# leave the original file untouched
with open(afile) as infile, open(newfile, 'w') as outfile:
    lines = infile.readlines()
    for line in lines:
        # get rid of the newline
        line = line.strip()
        res = h.search(line)
        if res:
            newline = res.group(1) + '\n'
            outfile.write(newline)

Little bit of output:

Output:
;       .OFINI                          ;field definitions
;       .OFDEF  Fd.Nxt  ,  2.           ;00 offset from PC to next field
;       .OFDEF  Fd.Max  ,  1.           ;01 maximum input characters
;       .OFDEF  Fd.Min  ,  1.           ;02 minimum input characters

[Curbie]

Pedroski55 thanks,

Not only for the tutorial page, but for the reminder that just because a way, the first first way, that pops to mind to solve a problem with re, that way may not be the only or best way, I should think about both a solution and simultaneously the best solution.