how to read an array from txt.file? Python, curses

Question

I am using curses in python, and I am trying to create a game where you print out characters in the terminal window. the field is then supposed to be saved in a text file if you press 's' and if you press 'o' the saved playing field is supposed to be uploaded. I manage to store all characters in an array, but i don't know how to upload the file back/print it on the terminal window.

So the problem is that i don't know how to 'reload' the characters i have stored. The saved txt.file looks like this:

[' ', ' ', 'f', 'i', ' '....]

[' ', 'f', ' ', ' ', ' '....]

[...

[...

etc

My program.....

import curses


def main(scr):
    """
    Draw a border around the screen, move around using the cursor and leave a mark
    of the latest pressed character on the keyboard. 

    Quit using 'q'.
    """

    # Clear the screen of any output
    scr.clear()

    # Get screen dimensions
    y1, x1 = scr.getmaxyx()
    y1 -= 1
    x1 -= 1

    y0, x0 = 0, 0       #min

    # Get center position
    yc, xc = (y1-y0)//2, (x1-x0)//2

    # Draw a border
    scr.border()

    # Move cursor to center
    scr.move(yc, xc)

    # Refresh to draw out
    scr.refresh()

    #Make a copy of the playing field
    array = [[' ' for _ in range(x1-1)] for _ in range(y1-1)]


    # Main loop
    x = xc
    y = yc
    ch = 'j'

    while True:
        key = scr.getkey()
        if key == 'q':
            break

        elif key == 'KEY_UP' and (y-1) > y0:
            y -= 1
        elif key == 'KEY_DOWN' and (y+1) < y1:
            y += 1
        elif key == 'KEY_LEFT' and (x-1) > x0:
            x -= 1
        elif key == 'KEY_RIGHT' and (x+1) < x1:
            x += 1

        elif key == 's':
            text_file = open("border.txt", "w")
            for char in array:
                text_file.write("%s\n" % char)
            text_file.close()

        elif key == 'o':
            scr.clear()
            saved_file = open("border.txt", "r")

            scr.addstr...            # this is the part that don't work.


            scr.refresh()

        else:
            if key != 'KEY_UP' and key != 'KEY_DOWN' and key != 'KEY_LEFT' and key != 'KEY_RIGHT': 
                ch = key

        #place the key in the array

        posY = y
        posX = x
        if y >= y0 and x >= x0 and y <= (y1) and x <= (x1):
            array[int(posY-1)][int(posX-1)] = ch


        # Draw out the char at cursor positino

        scr.addstr(ch)

        # Move cursor to new position
        if y < y1 and y > y0 and x > x0 and x < x1:
            scr.move(y, x)

        # Redraw all items on the screen
        scr.refresh()

Answer 1

You can try to store your data with the python pickle module . It is intended for serialization of data structures like this. Later on you can reload your structure with pickle again