A simple utility that parses any given path string then returns a helpful object with cross-platform path representations.

safePathParser.py

#!/usr/bin/env python3

# PARSES ANY GIVEN PATH AND RETURNS AN OBJECT WITH CROSS-PLATFORM PATH REPRESENTATIONS

def safePathParser(string):

    base = None
    dir_ = None

    if "\\" in string and "/" not in string:
        
        exp = string.split("\\")
        base = exp[len(exp) - 1]
        del exp[len(exp) - 1]
        dir_ = "\\".join(exp)        
    
        return {
            "basename": base,
            "dir": dir_,
            "nt": string,
            "unix": string.replace("\\", "/")
            }   

    if "\\" in string and "/" in string:

        dir_ = string.split("/")[0]
        base = string.split("/")[1]
        
        return {
            "basename": string.split("/")[1],
            "dir": string.split("/")[0],
            "nt": string.replace("/", "\\"),
            "unix": string.replace("\\", "/")
            }                
    
    if "/" in string and "\\" not in string:
        exp = string.split("/")
        base = exp[len(exp) - 1]
        del exp[len(exp) - 1]
        dir_ = "/".join(exp)        
        
        return {
            "basename": base,
            "dir": dir_,
            "nt": string.replace("/", "\\"),
            "unix": string
            }   

# PARSE A WINDOWS NATIVE PATH
path = "C:\\Users\\TestUser\\test.exe"

parsedPath = safePathParser(path)

print(parsedPath)

print("Basename: %s" % (parsedPath['basename'],))

print("Native Directory: %s" % (parsedPath['dir'],))

print("Full path for Windows: %s" % (parsedPath['nt'],))

print("Full path for Unix: %s" % (parsedPath['unix'],))

# LOAD THE UNIX CONVERSION AS A NEW OBJECT
unixConversion = safePathParser(parsedPath['unix'])

print("Unix Basename (same): %s" % (unixConversion['basename'],))

print("Unix Directory: %s" % (unixConversion['dir'],))

print("Reverse conversion back to Windows: %s" % (unixConversion['nt'],))