python walk_up - like os.walk, only works its way up instead of down

walk_up.py

#!/bin/env python

"""
os.walk is an awesome generator.
However, I needed the same functionality,
only I wanted to walk 'up' the
directory tree.

This allows seaching for files
in directories directly above
a given directory.
"""


import os
from os import path

def walk_up(bottom):
	""" 
	mimic os.walk, but walk 'up'
	instead of down the directory tree
	"""

	bottom = path.realpath(bottom)

	#get files in current dir
	try:
		names = os.listdir(bottom)
	except Exception as e:
		print e
		return


	dirs, nondirs = [], []
	for name in names:
		if path.isdir(path.join(bottom, name)):
			dirs.append(name)
		else:
			nondirs.append(name)

	yield bottom, dirs, nondirs

	new_path = path.realpath(path.join(bottom, '..'))
	
	# see if we are at the top
	if new_path == bottom:
		return

	for x in walk_up(new_path):
		yield x

if __name__ == '__main__':
    # tests/demos

    #print all files and directories
    # directly above the current one
    for i in walk_up(os.curdir):
        print i

    # look for a TAGS file above the
    # current directory
	for c,d,f in walk_up(os.curdir):
		if 'TAGS' in f:
			print c
			break

	

Thank you to @lambdamusic and @rednafi for keeping this example fresh and alive!

@zdavkeos this code is used in Pipfile FWIW, .... now what's your license?

https://github.com/pypa/pipenv/blob/master/pipenv/patched/pipfile/api.py#L27

FWIW, I created a library that was inspired by this snippet a long while ago: https://github.com/datafolklabs/backpedal ... it has little traction but my intent is to keep it alive, and well tested. Licensed as BSD-three-clause.

pip install backpedal