How do I write a tab in Python?

How do I write a tab in Python?

This is the code:

f = open(filename, w)
f.write(hellotalex)

The t inside the string is the escape sequence for the horizontal tabulation.

The Python reference manual includes several string literals that can be used in a string. These special sequences of characters are replaced by the intended meaning of the escape sequence.

Here is a table of some of the more useful escape sequences and a description of the output from them.

Escape Sequence       Meaning
t                    Tab
\                    Inserts a back slash ()
                    Inserts a single quote ()
                    Inserts a double quote ()
n                    Inserts a ASCII Linefeed (a new line)

Basic Example

If i wanted to print some data points separated by a tab space I could print this string.

DataString = 0t12t24
print (DataString)

Returns

0    12    24

Example for Lists

Here is another example where we are printing the items of list and we want to sperate the items by a TAB.

DataPoints = [0,12,24]
print (str(DataPoints[0]) + t + str(DataPoints[1]) + t + str(DataPoints[2]))

Returns

0    12    24

Raw Strings

Note that raw strings (a string which include a prefix r), string literals will be ignored. This allows these special sequences of characters to be included in strings without being changed.

DataString = r0t12t24
print (DataString)

Returns

0t12t24

Which maybe an undesired output

String Lengths

It should also be noted that string literals are only one character in length.

DataString = 0t12t24
print (len(DataString))

Returns

7

The raw string has a length of 9.

How do I write a tab in Python?

You can use t in a string literal:

hellotalex