Python pickle/unpickle a list to/from a file

Question

I have a list that looks like this:

a = [[\'a string\', [0, 0, 0], [22, \'bee sting\']], [\'see string\', 
    [0, 2, 0], [22, \'d string\']]]

Answer 1

To add to @ Rapolas K's answer:

I found that I had problems with the file not closing so used this method:

with open('afile','rb') as f:
     pickle.load(f)

Answer 2

Decided to make it as an answer. pickle.load method expects to get a file like object, but you are providing a string instead, and therefore an exception. So instead of:

pickle.load('afile')

you should do:

pickle.load(open('afile', 'rb'))