[Python-Dev] os.path.normcase rationale?

[Chris Withers]

On 25/09/2010 04:25, Steven D'Aprano wrote:
> 1. Return the case of a filename in some canonical form which depends
>     on the file system?
> 2. Return the case of a filename as it is actually stored on disk?

How do 1 and 2 differ? FWIW, the use case that setuptools has (and for 
which it currently incorrectly uses normpath) is number 2.

> 4. Return the case of a filename in some arbitrarily-chosen canonical
>     form which does not depend on the file system?

This is what normpath does, but only if you're on Windows ;-)
I still don't really get the use case of normpath in its current form, 
at all...

> Various people have posted links to recipes that solve case #2. Note
> though that this necessarily demands that if the file doesn't exist, it
> should raise an exception.

Fine by me, shame it seems to require iteration to find an answer though :-S

> The very concept of canonical form for file names is troublesome.

I would have thought "whatever is shown when doing an ls/dir/etc"
(and don't be smart and think about mentioning that oyu can get dir to 
output 8.3 as well as the full path ;-) )

Chris

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