How to empty a file using Python

Question

In the Unix shell I can do this to empty a file:

cd /the/file/directory/
:> thefile.ext

How would I go about doing this in Python?

Is os.system the way here, I wouldn't know how since I would have to send 2 actions after each other i.e. the cd and then the :>.

Shouldn't opening the file with a mode of "w" do this, i.e. open("/the/path/thefile.ext","w")? — Ulrich Schwarz
Isn't the use of a question instead of a statement as a rhetorical device to indicate a degree of uncertainty pretty common? — DSM
:) ok ok, I agree. maybe a bit boring/silly of me to write that. Thanks Ulrich for the effort, you were correct but the answer was written by another guy. Thanks anyways. — Adergaard

rumpel rumpel · Accepted Answer · 2011-02-06T15:45:59

Opening a file creates it and (unless append ('a') is set) overwrites it with emptyness, such as this:

open(filename, 'w').close()