os.path.isdir is always returning false

Shell Programming and Scripting
1

Just started with learning python and tried something, most people here would call more than simple.

I just wanted to list all directories within my main directory. So I user the following code:

#!/usr/bin/env python

import os

if os.path.isdir("/home/testaccaunt/public_html"):
     print "I am a directory"
else:
     print "I am NO directory"

So that is just a first test for me and the result is always that my public_html folder is no directory. I also tested it with os.path.isfile and os.path.islink and it alway tells me that it is something different.

Hopefully you have an idea on that. It is on CentOs 5.

2

it shouldn't be. os.path.isdir() is supposed to do what it says it does. show your a listing of "/home/testaccaunt" directory.

3

As a found it at nearly every beginner guide, with the os.listdir option I am listing all files and folders within my directory and the os.path.isdir is used to find out that one is a file or a directory.

So I just the tried the following piece of code:

#!/usr/bin/env python

import os

filelist = os.listdir("/home")

for file in filelist:
     if os.path.isdir(file):
          print "I am a directory"
      else:
          print "I am NO directory"

If I just remove the if, I am able to print all files and directories, but that tiny if clause is just not working. Any idea where my fault is?

4

try this

#!/usr/bin/env python
import os
root="/home"
for files in os.listdir(root):    
    if os.path.isdir(os.path.join(root,files)):
        print "Directory : ",files
5

Thanks for the fast reply, that works, but where is the big difference ?

Is there any reason why my posted code is just always telling that there is no directory?

6

to use os.listdir(), i always change directory first to the directory of interest

os.chdir("/home")
for files in os.listdir("."):
  .....

otherwise, use the full path by joining, as in the previous example.

7

Okay, now I got it. Thanks for all you help, I will now go ahead with my guides.

Just one question, could you recommend a good python editor?

8

see here. Its all about preferences.

9

Thanks again for your help.