An investigation of file system entries in python.

analyze_dir.py

#!/usr/bin/env python

import sys, os, shutil

# Check to see what entities are in the file system and categorize them by
# type.

def analyze_path(path):
    """Get the file system entries in a path and categorize them."""

    categorized = {
            'symlinks': [],
            'dirs': [],
            'files': [],
            'other': [],
            }

    for entry in os.listdir(path):
        fullpath = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(path, entry))
        if os.path.islink(fullpath):
            categorized['symlinks'].append(entry)
        elif os.path.isdir(fullpath):
            categorized['dirs'].append(entry)
        elif os.path.isfile(fullpath):
            categorized['files'].append(entry)
        else: # this should never happen...?
            categorized['other'].append(entry)

    return categorized


if __name__ == '__main__':
    pathname = None
    if (len(sys.argv) < 2):
        pathname = os.getcwd()
    else:
        pathname = os.path.abspath(sys.argv[1])

    # beware of any funny business...
    if not os.path.isdir(pathname):
        print("It's a cryin' shame, but the path you entered is *not* a valid directory!")
        sys.exit(1)

    print("\n" + pathname)

    categorized = analyze_path(pathname)

    # list the files in each category, as long as the category has something in it.
    for key in categorized.keys():
        entries = categorized[key]
        if len(entries) > 0:
            print("\n%s:" % key.capitalize())
            for e in entries:
                print("  " + e)

    print("")