[Python-Dev] PEP 383: Non-decodable Bytes in System Character Interfaces (original) (raw)

Cameron Simpson cs at zip.com.au
Wed Apr 29 13:36:53 CEST 2009

On 29Apr2009 02:56, Glenn Linderman <v+python at g.nevcal.com> wrote:

os.listdir(b"")

I find that on my Windows system, with all ASCII path file names, that I get quite different results when I pass os.listdir an empty str vs an empty bytes. Rather than keep you guessing, I get the root directory contents from the empty str, and the current directory contents from an empty bytes. That is rather unexpected. So I guess I'd better suggest that a specific, equivalent directory name be passed in either bytes or str form.

I think you may have uncovered an implementation bug rather than an encoding issue (because I'd expect "" and b"" to be equivalent).

In ancient times, "" was a valid UNIX name for the working directory. POSIX disallows that, and requires people to use ".".

Maybe you're seeing an artifact; did python move from UNIX to Windows or the other way around in its porting history? I'd guess the former.

Do you get differing results from listdir(".") and listdir(b".") ? How's python2 behave for ""? (Since there's no b"" in python2.)

Cheers,

Cameron Simpson <cs at zip.com.au> DoD#743 http://www.cskk.ezoshosting.com/cs/

'Supposing a tree fell down, Pooh, when we were underneath it?' 'Supposing it didn't,' said Pooh after careful thought.

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