Скачать или смотреть Resolving the Issue of Python mkdir with exist_ok Not Creating Final Directory

Discover how to fix the issue of Python's `os.makedirs()` not creating final directories when looping through data. This guide offers a straightforward solution to ensure all paths are created as expected.
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/67624778/ asked by the user 'learningdev001' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/15983926/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/67625241/ provided by the user 'Niloct' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/152016/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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Resolving the Issue of Python mkdir with exist_ok Not Creating Final Directory

Creating directories dynamically in Python can be a common task, especially when dealing with data extraction or file organization. However, you might encounter a frustrating issue where only the parent directories are created, while the intended child directories remain empty. This guide will explore this problem and provide a clear solution to ensure your directory structure is created as expected.

The Problem: Final Directory Not Created

In scenarios where you're fetching data from a database (like SQLite) and want to create a set of directories based on the data's output, it is essential that all directories are generated accurately. Here's a brief overview of the common issues:

The code loops over rows in a database and generates a path for each entry.

Only the top-level parent directory (like DCIM) is successfully created.

The intended child directories (like DCIM/dir1, DCIM/dir2, etc.) appear in the print statements but do not get created.

Example Code

Here’s a snippet that illustrates the problem:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

In the above code, it’s clear that creating /usr/home/jim/DCIM/dir1 and similar directories are intended, but they don’t materialize.

The Solution: Simplifying the Directory Creation

The core issue lies in how os.path.dirname is applied. Here’s a step-by-step explanation of the solution:

Understanding targetpath: The variable targetpath already contains the full path for each directory you want to create. When you apply os.path.dirname(targetpath), you inadvertently limit the path to just the parent directory, cutting off the child directories.

Correct Approach: Instead of calling os.path.dirname() on targetpath, you can directly use os.makedirs() with targetpath.

Revised Code

Here is the corrected snippet:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Key Changes

Removed os.path.dirname(): By calling os.makedirs() directly with targetpath, you ensure that the full path is utilized, allowing for all intended directories to be created properly.

exist_ok=True: This parameter will continue to allow the function to pass without error if the directories already exist, maintaining functionality.

Conclusion

By understanding the mechanics behind path manipulation in Python, you can easily resolve issues like the one described. In this case, ensuring that you provide the complete path when calling os.makedirs() is crucial to achieve the desired directory structure.

Now you can confidently extract your data into properly created directories, allowing for better organization and usability of your files! Happy coding!