Resolving the FileNotFoundError When Appending Excel Files in Python

Learn how to effectively append multiple Excel files using Python while avoiding common file path errors.
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How to Fix the FileNotFoundError When Appending Excel Files in Python

When working with data files in Python, particularly multiple Excel files, it's common to encounter issues that can prevent successful reading and appending of these files. One of the most frequent errors that arise is the FileNotFoundError. Let's delve into this problem and, more importantly, explore how to fix it effectively.

The Problem: Unable to Read Files

In a scenario where you intend to append multiple Excel files, you might start with a chunk of code that looks like this:

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Here, you are trying to list all .xlsx files in the specified directory. Despite successfully identifying the files, when you try to read them, you encounter an error:

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This indicates that while you have the file names, the Python script is unable to locate the actual files because the path isn't properly specified when reading them.

The Solution

To effectively append the Excel files without running into the FileNotFoundError, you need to ensure that the file path is included when trying to read each file. Let’s walk through a revised approach to achieve this.

Step 1: Setting Up the Correct Path

Import Required Libraries: Ensure you have os for file handling and pandas for data manipulation.

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Define the Directory Path: Establish the directory that contains your Excel files.

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List the Files: List all files in the directory and filter for .xlsx files.

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Step 2: Reading and Appending Files

Instead of using the deprecated append() method, it’s advisable to utilize concat(). This method is more efficient and will help avoid future compatibility issues.

Initialize a List: To collect data from each file.

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Concatenating DataFrames: Finally, concatenate all DataFrames into one.

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Final Code Example

Here’s what your complete code will look like:

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Conclusion

If you implement these fixes, you should be able to append your Excel files effortlessly!