Manipulation of directories and files

12 Apr 2020

Create dir if it does not exist

import os
path='/tmp/test'
if not os.path.exists(path):
    os.mkdir(path)

Do something if dir exists (alternative)

import pathlib
data_dir = pathlib.Path('data/')
if not data_dir.exists():
    print('do something')

do something

Change directory

os.chdir(path)
print(f'New location is: {os.getcwd()!r}')

New location is: '/private/tmp/test'

Create file in directory and list

Options available: os.O_RDONLY, os.O_WRONLY, os.O_RDWR, os.O_CREAT, os.O_APPEND

fd = os.open('mytext.txt', os.O_RDONLY | os.O_CREAT) # open file
print(f'Intial file: {os.listdir(path)}') # list content of directory
os.rename('mytext.txt', "mytest_rename.txt")
print(f'Renamed file:{os.listdir(path)}')
os.close(fd) # close

Intial file: ['mytext.txt']
Renamed file:['mytest_rename.txt']

Remove directory and all its content

import shutil
if os.path.exists(path) and os.path.isdir(path):
    shutil.rmtree(path)