Truncating String in Python

Question

I have poured through the internet trying to find a way to truncate a string in Python and I am at a wall.

I want to truncate a string like this:

My_String_Needs_to_be_truncated_12May11_mm

I want to truncate this portion "_12May11_mm" so that I have "My_String_Needs_to_be_truncated" remains.

Thanks for any help!
Mike

MikeMacRae · Answer

Thanks everyone, for the help. I used a combination of your suggestions and now that portion of my script works perfectly!

Cheers,
Mike

JasonScheirer · Answer

Ah, if it's always the same like that then you can do this:tail_to_clip = "_12May11_mm"
x = "My_String_Needs_to_be_truncated_12May11_mm"
truncated = x.rsplit("_")[:-len(tail_to_clip)]

And then just swap out tail_to_clip as needed. Though the option with rstrip is a bit more robust.

TerrySilveus · Answer

Here's a couple more options
# this option removes the 11 right characters (if you know it will always be 11)
x = 'My_String_Needs_to_be_truncated_12May11_mm'
print x[0:-11]

# this option builds the string after putting it into an array split at the "_" and removing the last two elements
y = x.split("_")
y.pop()
y.pop()
z = ""
i = 1
for word in y:
    if i == 1:
        z = z + word
    else:
        z = z + "_" + word
    i = 2

print z