Importing files

File handling

Python

Important Statements

To use functions from the os module, you first need to import it:

import os

Working with Directories

• Get Current Working Directory:

  current_directory = os.getcwd()
  # Returns a string representing the current directory path.
  

• Change Directory:

  os.chdir("path/to/new/directory")
  # Changes the current working directory to the specified path.
  

  • "path/to/new/directory": A string representing the target directory path.

• List Directory Contents:

  items_in_directory = os.listdir("path/to/directory")
  # Returns a list of names (files and subdirectories) in the specified path.
  

  • "path/to/directory": The path to list. If omitted, lists the current directory (.).

• Create Directory:

  os.mkdir("new_directory_name")
  # Creates a new directory. Raises FileExistsError if it already exists.
  

  • "new_directory_name": The name or path of the directory to create.

• Create Directories (including parents):

  os.makedirs("path/to/new/nested/directories")
  # Creates directories recursively. Creates parent directories if they don't exist.
  

  • "path/to/new/nested/directories": The path to create.

Working with Files and Paths

• Join Path Components:

  full_path = os.path.join("directory", "subdirectory", "filename.txt")
  # Joins path components intelligently, handling separators ('/' or '\\') correctly for the OS.
  

  • Multiple path components as strings.

• Check if Path Exists:

  exists = os.path.exists("path/to/file_or_directory")
  # Returns True if the path exists, False otherwise.
  

  • "path/to/file_or_directory": The path to check.

• Check if Path is a File:

  is_file = os.path.isfile("path/to/file.txt")
  # Returns True if the path is an existing file, False otherwise.
  

• Check if Path is a Directory:

  is_dir = os.path.isdir("path/to/directory")
  # Returns True if the path is an existing directory, False otherwise.
  

• Get Absolute Path:

  abs_path = os.path.abspath("relative/path")
  # Returns the absolute path of a file or directory.
  

• Get Directory Name from Path:

  dir_name = os.path.dirname("path/to/file.txt")
  # Returns the directory portion of a path.
  

• Get Base Name from Path:

  base_name = os.path.basename("path/to/file.txt")
  # Returns the file or directory name portion of a path.