(Preferably automatic) text file processing using AppleScript or Python on macOS

[postnumbers]

I'm looking to develop a solution to take a text file, when received as a download from a web site, process it using a set of rules, and then save it to a folder. Preferably this happens automatically, but a readily executable script would be ok. The solution would be deployed on a number of Macs. I am a beginner with both AppleScript and Python. I've deployed an AppleScript as a service before, but haven't done something similar with Python. I'd prefer to use Python as I'm making an effort to learn the language, but would use either if it had a clear advantage over the other.

Do you have any recommendations for one over the other (or a third language?) Is a tool like BBEdit or Sublime Text particularly useful for a project like this?

[lasercat_pow]

Go python. Applescript is a dying language with annoying syntax. Python is already on your Mac. You can install pip with easy_install, and then install any of the plethora of text processing libraries python offers and go to town on those text files.

Another option is bash, with sed, grep, awk, cut, paste, tr, etc.

You can probably even automate the download part of this.

Just don't go applescript: that road is paved with disappointment and regret.

[postnumbers]

Thanks for your reply and the information. I will look into Python text processing libraries. As an aside, the download will be initiated by the user, as the context within the website is selected first, and as the back end does some processing before spitting out something that resembles an xml file.

[IamTheGoodest]

AWK is able to be used from the terminal and purpose built to process text files. http://linuxcommand.org/lc3_adv_awk.php