os.walk/list

[Peter Otten]

ecu_jon wrote:

> yes i agree breaking stuff into smaller chunks is a good way to do it.
> even were i to do something like
> 
> def safe_copy()
>     f1=file(files ,'rb')
>     f2 = file(os.path.join(currentdir,fname,files))
>     truth = md5.new(f1.read()).digest() ==
>     md5.new(f2.read()).digest()
>     if truth == 0:
>         print "file copy error"
> 
> that would probably work for the single file copy functions. but would
> still breakdown during the for ...os.walk(), again because "fname" is
> a list there, and the crypto functions work 1 file at a time. even
> changing crypto functions wouldn't change that.

That's what function parameters are for:

def safe_copy(fname):
     ....

for x in fname:
    safe_copy(x)

That way fname is a filename inside safe_copy() and a list of filenames on 
the global module level. "fname" for a list and "files" for a single file 
are still badly chosen names because they confuse the reader instead of 
clarifying what's going on.

I strongly recommend that you work through a python tutorial for non-
programmers before you continue with your efforts.