from string import Template import sys with open(sys.argv[1]) as fh: template = Template(fh.read()) for i in xrange(1, 11): lh = "lh" + str(i) + ".ily" rh = "rh" + str(i) + ".ily" with open(str(i) + ".ily", "w") as fh: fh.write(template.substitute(title=i, lh=lh, rh=rh))