Python Script for Text Fragment

In the common rooms of Scriptindor, we often speak of the "Grimoires of Storage"—what the Muggles (or 'Users') simply call "text files." But we know better. A text file is a vessel of frozen runes, waiting to be awakened. Today, I practiced a subtle art: extracting a specific fragment of power from a dormant scroll using the serpentine tongue of Python.

Before casting a single line of code, I had to meditate on the nature of these vessels.

The Ritual of Opening {#opening-ritual}

To interact with a scroll in the realm of Python, one must follow the Triad of Binding:

Invocation: We must use open() to bridge the gap between our wand (the script) and the object (the file).
Transmutation: We read or write—extracting essence or inscribing new laws.
Sealing: We must close the connection. Leaving a portal open drains mana and risks data corruption. The with statement is our guardian spirit here; it ensures the portal seals itself the moment our work is done, preventing the leakage of magical energy.

The Severing Charm: Slicing {#slicing-charm}

A string of text is but a chain of runes. Sometimes, we do not need the whole chain, but a single link or a specific segment. This is where we apply Slicing. It is akin to the Diffindo charm—a precise cut to separate the wheat from the chaff.

And to add a touch of the unpredictable—because what is magic without a little chaos?—I employed the random module. This allows us to tap into the entropic forces of the universe to decide where our cut begins.

The Incantation {#the-incantation}

Below is the spell I have woven. I have annotated the glyphs to explain the flow of magic.

# First, I invoke the 'random' module to harness the winds of Chaos.
import random

# I name the target scroll to keep my workspace tidy.
source_filename = "document.txt"

# I cast the 'open' spell with the 'with' guardian.
# 'r' stands for 'Read' (Scrying).
# 'encoding="utf-8"' ensures we interpret the ancient runes correctly.
with open(source_filename, "r", encoding="utf-8") as file:

    # The .read() charm absorbs the entire essence of the scroll into 'content'.
    content = file.read()

# I cast len() to count the number of runes (characters) in the essence.
total_characters = len(content)

# I conjure a random number from the Void.
# This decides the starting point of our extraction.
random_num = random.randint(1, total_characters)

# Now, the Severing Charm (Slicing).
# I cut from the random point, extending for 2000 runes.
fragment = content[random_num : random_num + 2000]

# Finally, I materialize a new scroll 'fragment.txt' to hold the extracted power.
# 'w' stands for 'Write' (Inscription).
with open("fragment.txt", "w", encoding="utf-8") as output_file:

    # I inscribe the fragment into the new physical vessel.
    output_file.write(fragment)

# A simple illusion to notify the caster that the ritual is complete.
print("The ritual is complete. The scroll 'fragment.txt' has been materialized.")

It is worth noting that Python, like many ancient languages, counts from the Void (0). If our random divination points too close to the end, Python is wise enough not to backfire; it simply takes what remains.

Revealing Charms: Debugging {#debugging-magic}

A blind wizard is a dangerous wizard. I wondered if I could visualize the flow of magic—to see the numbers as they are conjured. In the craft, we call this Traceability.

To achieve this, I deepened my study of the print() invocation and the F-Strings (Format Strings). These are like enchanted parchments that fill themselves in. The {} brackets are the spaces where the magic manifests the value of our variables.

I refined the spell to speak back to me:

import random

source_filename = "document.txt"

with open(source_filename, "r", encoding="utf-8") as file:
    content = file.read()

total_characters = len(content)

# --- REVEALING CHARM: Scrying the File ---
print(f"The scroll '{source_filename}' has been unsealed.")
print(f"The total count of runes detected is: {total_characters}")

random_num = random.randint(1, total_characters)

# --- REVEALING CHARM: Scrying the Entropy ---
print(f"The Chaos Winds have chosen position: {random_num}")

fragment = content[random_num : random_num + 2000]

with open("fragment.txt", "w", encoding="utf-8") as output_file:
    output_file.write(fragment)

print("The fragment of 2000 runes has been sealed in 'fragment.txt'.")

Telepathy: Communing with the User {#user-interaction}

Why let Chaos decide everything? Sometimes, the Wizard knows best. I decided to grant the caster a choice: trust in the dice of fate, or impose their own will.

To do this, I had to master input()—a form of Legilimens that allows the program to read the thoughts typed by the user. But be warned! The thoughts enter as raw text (strings). To use them in arithmancy, we must transmute them using int().

Here is the final, sentient spell:

import random

source_filename = "document.txt"

with open(source_filename, "r", encoding="utf-8") as file:
    content = file.read()

total_characters = len(content)
print(f"The scroll '{source_filename}' holds {total_characters} runes.")

# --- INTERACTIVE ILLUSION ---

print("\nHow shall we determine the extraction point?")
print("1. Consult the Chaos (Random).")
print("2. Impose your Will (Manual).")

# I wait for the user's mental projection.
option = input("Cast 1 or 2: ")

if option == "1":
    # PATH OF CHAOS
    random_num = random.randint(1, total_characters)
    print(f"The Chaos Winds have whispered: {random_num}")

else:
    # PATH OF WILL
    # I demand a number and transmute the response into an integer.
    user_response = input(f"Enter a coordinate between 1 and {total_characters}: ")
    random_num = int(user_response)
    print(f"You have chosen coordinate: {random_num}")

# --- THE SEVERING ---

fragment = content[random_num : random_num + 2000]

with open("fragment.txt", "w", encoding="utf-8") as output_file:
    output_file.write(fragment)

print("\nThe ritual is concluded.")
print("The essence has been bound to 'fragment.txt'.")

The spell now breathes. It listens. It reacts. This is the true power of Scriptindor: to create tools that are not just functioning machines, but partners in the craft.

A final thought for the pensive basin: If the user were to chant "Lumos" instead of a number when prompted, the int() transmutation would fail, shattering the spell with a ValueError. We must always be wary of invalid incantations!

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