Alf P. Steinbach wrote:
* W. eWatson:
I'm sure that \\ is used in some way for paths in Win Python, but I
have not found anything after quite a search. I even have a six page
pdf on a file tutorial. Nothing. Two books. Nothing. When I try to
open a file along do I need, for example,
"Events\\record\\year\\today"? Are paths like, ".\\Events" allowed, or
am I mixing up my Linux memory on this?
The Python issue with \\ is that in a literal string \\ denotes a single
\ character, like
>>> print( "back\\slash" )
back\slash
>>> _
This is just like in other languages with syntax inherited from C. Look
up "escape sequences". It has nothing to do with files and paths per se,
but means that you cannot write e.g. "c:\windows\system32", but must
write something like "c:\\windows\\system32" (try to print that string),
or, since Windows handles forward slashes as well, you can write
"c:/windows/system32" :-).
The Window issue with \\ is that \\ as a path prefix denotes an UNC
(Universal Naming Convention) path. Usually that would be a LAN or WAN
network path, but it can also denote a printer or a pipe or a mailslot
or just about anything. Using UNC paths opens the door to creating files
and directories that other programs won't be able to handle, so Just Say
No(TM), if you can.
Cheers & hth.,
- Alf
Ah, yes. Thanks for the memory jog.
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