Parse directory path to a variable in python

Question

I want to parse to var and set what i parse to a variable I want to parse C:\\level1\\level2\\level3\\level4\\level5\\level6\\level7\\level8 and make it intolevel7\level8` currently i am able to get level7 only

var = "C:\\level1\\level2\\level3\\level4\\level5\\level6\\level7\\level8"

split_path = os.path.split(os.path.split(var)[0])

print split_path

output below

('C:\\level1\\level2\\level3\\level4\\level5\\level6', 'level7')

" I want to parse level7\\level8 and make it into level7\level8" - makes no sense. elaborate. — Karoly Horvath, Mar 01 '16 at 17:58

score 0 · Answer 1 · edited May 23 '17 at 10:28

The reason you only get 'level7' is because 'level8' is in

os.path.split(var)[1]

This should demonstrate it clearly:

var = "C:\\level1\\level2\\level3\\level4\\level5\\level6\\level7\\level8"
split_path = os.path.split(var)
level8 = split_path[1]
split_path = os.path.split(split_path[0])
level7 = split_path[1]
my_split_path = (split_path[0], os.path.join(level7, level8)

Here's the whole thing in one line:

my_split_path = (os.path.split(os.path.split(var)[0])[0], os.path.split(os.path.join(os.path.split(var)[0][1], os.path.split(var)[1])))

I'd recommend using multiple lines for clarity though.

As far as the double backslashes, Python string literals treat the first backslash as an escape character. So having two of them is effectively having one of them for all uses. In the interpreter var will output the string as you have it above, but print(var) will print single backslashes. This question has been answered in detail here: Why can't Python's raw string literals end with a single backslash?

there was a guy who ansered with a function where you can pass path and step where did he go? — Testerflorida, Mar 04 '16 at 15:18
I'm not sure, I didn't notice that post. You can easily do that with the code above in a loop though. — ShawSa, Mar 04 '16 at 18:50

kylieCatt · Accepted Answer · 2016-03-01T18:01:23.373

-1

>>> var = "C:\\level1\\level2\\level3\\level4\\level5\\level6\\level7\\level8"
>>> var.split('\\', 7)
['C:', 'level1', 'level2', 'level3', 'level4', 'level5', 'level6', 'level7\\level8']
>>> var.split('\\', 7)[-1]
'level7\\level8'

I don't get the same output as you with your code. It could be because I'm on OSX and that isn't recognized as a file path. Regardless, this solution is a bit simpler and gives you the bit you want.

The second parameter tells split the max number of times to split counting from left, so:

>>> var.split('\\', 1)
['C:', 'level1\\level2\\level3\\level4\\level5\\level6\\level7\\level8']
>>> var.split('\\', 2)
['C:', 'level1', 'level2\\level3\\level4\\level5\\level6\\level7\\level8']
# and so on...

You don't need to do anything to remove the extra '\', it's there to escape the one you want. You can see this by using print():

>>> print(var.split('\\', 7)[-1])
level7\level8

edited Mar 01 '16 at 18:01

answered Mar 01 '16 at 17:57

kylieCatt

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There's a reason he uses `os.path.split`. It makes the code portable. – Karoly Horvath Mar 01 '16 at 18:00
`os.path.split` doesn't do anything to that string, which I mentioned in my answer. – kylieCatt Mar 01 '16 at 18:05
If you still don't get it, look up the documentation. – Karoly Horvath Mar 01 '16 at 18:06
Looking at the documentation makes it clear `os.path.split` doesn't do what the OP wants. `"The tail part will never contain a slash"` seems to be at direct odds with what the OP wants. – kylieCatt Mar 01 '16 at 18:08

Parse directory path to a variable in python

2 Answers2