z3c.recipe.mkdir 0.3

Buildout recipe to create directories.

Introduction

This recipe can be used to generate directories.

A short example:

[buildout]
parts = var

[var]
recipe = z3c.recipe.mkdir

This will create a directory named var/ in the buildout parts/ directory. If you want a different path, you can set the path option:

[buildout]
parts = foo

[foo]
recipe = z3c.recipe.mkdir
path = foo/bar

which will create ‘foo/bar/’ in the buildout root directory (not the parts/ directory). Also intermediate directories are created (if they do not exist).

Detailed Description

Contents

• Introduction

• Detailed Description

  • Recipe Options

  • Simple creation of directories via buildout

  • Creating a directory in a given path

  • Creating directories that are removed on updates

  • Creating relative paths

  • Creating intermediate paths

  • Paths are normalized

  • Creating multiple paths in a row

  • Trailing slashes do not matter

  • Things to be aware of

  • Things, one should not do

    • Trying to create directories that exist and are files

    • Don’t use path option

• Changes

  • 0.3 (2009-08-20)

  • 0.2 (2009-08-19)

  • 0.1 (2009-08-17)

Recipe Options

z3c.recipe.mkdir provides the following options:

• paths

  Contains the path(s) of directories created in normalized, absolute form. I.e.:

  mydir/../foo/bar

  becomes:

  /path/to/buildout-dir/foo/bar

• remove-on-update

  Default: no

  By default, created directories are not removed on updates of buildout configuration. This is a security measure as created directories might contain valuable data.

  You can, however, enforce automatic removing on updates by setting this option to on, yes or true.

Simple creation of directories via buildout

Lets create a minimal buildout.cfg file:

>>> write('buildout.cfg',
... '''
... [buildout]
... parts = mydir
... offline = true
...
... [mydir]
... recipe = z3c.recipe.mkdir
... ''')

Now we can run buildout:

>>> print system(join('bin', 'buildout')),
Installing mydir.
mydir: created path: /sample-buildout/parts/mydir

The directory was indeed created in the parts directory:

>>> ls('parts')
d  mydir

As we did not specify a special path, the name of the created directory is like the section name mydir.

Creating a directory in a given path

Lets create a minimal buildout.cfg file. This time the directory has a name different from section name and we have to tell explicitly, that we want it to be created in the parts/ directory. We set the paths option to do so:

>>> write('buildout.cfg',
... '''
... [buildout]
... parts = mydir
... offline = true
...
... [mydir]
... recipe = z3c.recipe.mkdir
... paths = ${buildout:parts-directory}/myotherdir
... ''')

Now we can run buildout:

>>> print system(join('bin', 'buildout')),
Uninstalling mydir.
Installing mydir.
mydir: created path: /sample-buildout/parts/myotherdir

The directory was indeed created:

>>> ls('parts')
d  mydir
d  myotherdir

Creating directories that are removed on updates

We can tell, that a directory should be removed on updates by using the remove-on-update option:

>>> write('buildout.cfg',
... '''
... [buildout]
... parts = mydir
... offline = true
...
... [mydir]
... recipe = z3c.recipe.mkdir
... remove-on-update = true
... paths = newdir
... ''')

>>> print system(join('bin', 'buildout')),
Uninstalling mydir.
Installing mydir.
mydir: created path: /sample-buildout/newdir

The newdir/ directory was created:

>>> ls('.')
-  .installed.cfg
d  bin
-  buildout.cfg
d  develop-eggs
d  eggs
d  newdir
d  parts

We rewrite buildout.cfg and set a different path:

>>> write('buildout.cfg',
... '''
... [buildout]
... parts = mydir
... offline = true
...
... [mydir]
... recipe = z3c.recipe.mkdir
... remove-on-update = true
... paths = newdir2
... ''')

>>> print system(join('bin', 'buildout')),
Uninstalling mydir.
Installing mydir.
mydir: created path: /sample-buildout/newdir2

Now newdir/ has vanished and newdir2 exists:

>>> ls('.')
-  .installed.cfg
d  bin
-  buildout.cfg
d  develop-eggs
d  eggs
d  newdir2
d  parts

Note, that the created directory will be removed on next modification of buildout.cfg.

Creating relative paths

If we specify a relative path, this path will be read relative to the buildout directory:

>>> write('buildout.cfg',
... '''
... [buildout]
... parts = mydir
... offline = true
...
... [mydir]
... recipe = z3c.recipe.mkdir
... paths = myrootdir
... ''')

>>> print system(join('bin', 'buildout')),
Uninstalling mydir.
Installing mydir.
mydir: created path: /sample-buildout/myrootdir

>>> ls('.')
-  .installed.cfg
d  bin
-  buildout.cfg
d  develop-eggs
d  eggs
d  myrootdir
d  parts

The old directories will not vanish:

>>> ls('parts')
d  mydir
d  myotherdir

Creating intermediate paths

If we specify several levels of directories, the intermediate parts will be created for us as well:

>>> write('buildout.cfg',
... '''
... [buildout]
... parts = mydir
... offline = true
...
... [mydir]
... recipe = z3c.recipe.mkdir
... paths = myrootdir/other/dir/finaldir
... ''')

>>> print system(join('bin', 'buildout')),
Uninstalling mydir.
Installing mydir.
mydir: created path: /sample-buildout/myrootdir/other/dir/finaldir

>>> ls('myrootdir', 'other', 'dir')
d  finaldir

Paths are normalized

If we specify a non-normalized path (i.e. one that contains references to parent directories or similar), the path will be normalized before creating it:

>>> write('buildout.cfg',
... '''
... [buildout]
... parts = mydir
... offline = true
...
... [mydir]
... recipe = z3c.recipe.mkdir
... paths = myroot/foo/../dir1/../bar/.
... ''')

>>> print system(join('bin', 'buildout')),
Uninstalling mydir.
Installing mydir.
mydir: created path: /sample-buildout/myroot/bar

Only bar/ will be created:

>>> ls('myroot')
d  bar

Creating multiple paths in a row

We can create multiple paths in one buildout section:

>>> write('buildout.cfg',
... '''
... [buildout]
... parts = mydir
... offline = true
...
... [mydir]
... recipe = z3c.recipe.mkdir
... paths = myroot/dir1
...         myroot/dir2
... ''')

>>> print system(join('bin', 'buildout')),
Uninstalling mydir.
Installing mydir.
mydir: created path: /sample-buildout/myroot/dir1
mydir: created path: /sample-buildout/myroot/dir2

>>> ls('myroot')
d  bar
d  dir1
d  dir2

Note, that in this case you cannot easily reference the set path from other recipes or templates. If, for example in a template you reference:

root_dir = ${mydir:path}

the result will become:

root_dir = /path/to/buildout/dir1
path/to/buildout/dir2

If you specify only one path, however, the second line will not appear.

Use several sections using z3c.recipe.mkdir if you want to reference different created paths from templates or similar.

Trailing slashes do not matter

It doesn’t matter, whether you specify the paths with trailing slash or without:

>>> write('buildout.cfg',
... '''
... [buildout]
... parts = mydir
... offline = true
...
... [mydir]
... recipe = z3c.recipe.mkdir
... paths = myroot/dir3/
...         myroot/dir4
... ''')

>>> print system(join('bin', 'buildout')),
Uninstalling mydir.
Installing mydir.
mydir: created path: /sample-buildout/myroot/dir3
mydir: created path: /sample-buildout/myroot/dir4

>>> ls('myroot')
d  bar
d  dir1
d  dir2
d  dir3
d  dir4

Things to be aware of

If you change the setting of some path, the old directory and all its contents will not be deleted (as you might expect from a buildout recipe):

>>> write('buildout.cfg',
... '''
... [buildout]
... parts = mydir
... offline = true
...
... [mydir]
... recipe = z3c.recipe.mkdir
... paths = path1
... ''')

>>> print system(join('bin', 'buildout')),
Uninstalling mydir.
Installing mydir.
mydir: created path: /sample-buildout/path1

>>> write(join('path1', 'myfile'), 'blah\n')
>>> ls('path1')
-  myfile

Now we switch the setting of mydir to path2:

>>> write('buildout.cfg',
... '''
... [buildout]
... parts = mydir
... offline = true
...
... [mydir]
... recipe = z3c.recipe.mkdir
... paths = path2
... ''')

>>> print system(join('bin', 'buildout'))
Uninstalling mydir.
Installing mydir.
mydir: created path: /sample-buildout/path2
<BLANKLINE>

The file we created above is still alive:

>>> ls('path1')
-  myfile

Things, one should not do

Trying to create directories that exist and are files

If a part of a given path already exists and is a file, an error is raised:

>>> write('buildout.cfg',
... '''
... [buildout]
... parts = mydir
... offline = true
...
... [mydir]
... recipe = z3c.recipe.mkdir
... paths = rootdir2/somefile/foo
... ''')

Now we create the first part of the path beforehand:

>>> import os
>>> os.mkdir('rootdir2')

And make the second part of the path a file:

>>> write(join('rootdir2', 'somefile'),
... '''
... blah
... ''')

>>> print system(join('bin', 'buildout')),
Uninstalling mydir.
Installing mydir.
While:
  Installing mydir.
Error: Cannot create directory: /.../rootdir2/somefile. It's a file.

Don’t use path option

Note

path is deprectated!

Starting with version 0.3 the path option is deprecated. Use paths instead:

>>> write('buildout.cfg',
... '''
... [buildout]
... parts = mydir
... offline = true
...
... [mydir]
... recipe = z3c.recipe.mkdir
... path = myrootdir
... remove-on-update = yes
... ''')

>>> print system(join('bin', 'buildout')),
mydir: Use of 'path' option is deprectated. Use 'paths' instead.
Installing mydir.
mydir: created path: /sample-buildout/parts/mydir

The path option will be supported only for a limited time!

Changes

0.3 (2009-08-20)

• Renamed path option to paths (plural). Please do not use path anymore!

• Created directories are now displayed during buildout runs.

• Changed default behaviour: directories created once will not be removed on updates, except you require that explicitly.

• Added new option remove-on-update: if set to yes, true or on the set directories will be removed on updates of buildout configuration.

0.2 (2009-08-19)

• Make paths absolute and normalize them before creation.

• Support creation of several paths in a row.

• Added check whether a file exists as part of path and emit error.

0.1 (2009-08-17)

Initial release.