How do I write output in same place on the console?

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I am new to python and am writing some scripts to automate downloading files from FTP servers, etc. I want to show the progress of the download, but I want it to stay in the same position, such as:

output:

Downloading File FooFile.txt [47%]

I'm trying to avoid something like this:

     Downloading File FooFile.txt [47%]
     Downloading File FooFile.txt [48%]
     Downloading File FooFile.txt [49%]

How should I go about doing this?

Duplicate: How can I print over the current line in a command line application?

console-output python
9 Answers

You can also use the carriage return:

sys.stdout.write("Download progress: %d%%   \r" % (progress) )
sys.stdout.flush()
codelogic_434270

Python 2

I like the following:

print 'Downloading File FooFile.txt [%d%%]\r'%i,

Demo:

import time

for i in range(100):
    time.sleep(0.1)
    print 'Downloading File FooFile.txt [%d%%]\r'%i,

Python 3

print('Downloading File FooFile.txt [%d%%]\r'%i, end="")

Demo:

import time

for i in range(100):
    time.sleep(0.1)
    print('Downloading File FooFile.txt [%d%%]\r'%i, end="")

PyCharm Debugger Console with Python 3

# On PyCharm Debugger console, \r needs to come before the text.
# Otherwise, the text may not appear at all, or appear inconsistently.
# tested on PyCharm 2019.3, Python 3.6

import time

print('Start.')
for i in range(100):
    time.sleep(0.02)
    print('\rDownloading File FooFile.txt [%d%%]'%i, end="")
print('\nDone.')
RSabet_492190

Use a terminal-handling library like the curses module:

The curses module provides an interface to the curses library, the de-facto standard for portable advanced terminal handling.

gimel_64910

Print the backspace character \b several times, and then overwrite the old number with the new number.

Zach_Scrivena_200290

In python 3 the function print can get many arguments. the full signature of the function print is: print(args*, sep=' ', end='\n', file=sys.stdout, flush=False)

when sep is the separator of the arguments from args*, end is how to end the printed line ('\n\ means a new line) file is to where print the output (stdout is the consul) and flush is if to clean the buffer.

Usage Example

import sys

a = 'A'
b = 0
c = [1, 2, 3]

print(a, b, c, 4, sep=' * ', end='\n' + ('-' * 21), file=sys.stdout, flush=True)

Output

A * 0 * [1, 2, 3] * 4
---------------------

In python there are many ways to format string and even a built in formatted string type.

How to format string

  1. the format() function. (some examples)
  2. Formatted String Literals or in the common name f-strings.
  3. format using % (more about this)

Examples

name = 'my_name'

>>> print('my name is: {}'.format(name))
my name is: my_name

# or
>>> print('my name is: {user_name}'.format(user_name=name))
my name is: my_name

# or
>>> print('my name is: {0}'.format(name))
my name is: my_name

# or using f-strings
>>> print(f'my name is: {name}')
my name is: my_name

# or formatting with %
>>> print('my name is: %s' % name)
my name is: my_name
user_152757360
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