[Python-ideas] os.path.abspath - optional startdir argument

[Terry Reedy]

On 7/24/2014 11:30 AM, Wolfgang Maier wrote:
> On 24.07.2014 17:21, Juancarlo Añez wrote:

>> Better yet, use the pathlib module.

Thank for the reminder. I took a better look at it.

> As it stands, the pathlib module is only provisional plus,

'Provisional' means that there *could* be a few api changes that would 
break code. The module is not going away.

> IMO, kind of overkill for a simple task like that.

Overkill?

import pathlib as path
import os.path as path

are equally easy

The 'simple task' combines joining, normalizing, and 'absoluting'. 
pathlib.Path joins, Path.resolve normalizes and 'absolutes'. Together 
they combine the functions of os.path.join, os.path.abspath and 
os.path.normpath, with a nicer syntax, and with OS awareness.

 >>> path.Path('../../../Python27/lib', 'ast.py').resolve()
WindowsPath('C:/Programs/Python27/Lib/ast.py')

If one starts with a Path object, as would be typical, one can use '/' 
to join, as JuanCarlo mentioned.

 >>> base = path.Path('.')
 >>> (base / '../../../Python27/lib' / 'ast.py').resolve()
WindowsPath('C:/Programs/Python27/Lib/ast.py')

-- 
Terry Jan Reedy