Edit File: filecmp.txt
:mod:`filecmp` --- File and Directory Comparisons ================================================= .. module:: filecmp :synopsis: Compare files efficiently. .. sectionauthor:: Moshe Zadka <moshez@zadka.site.co.il> The :mod:`filecmp` module defines functions to compare files and directories, with various optional time/correctness trade-offs. For comparing files, see also the :mod:`difflib` module. The :mod:`filecmp` module defines the following functions: .. function:: cmp(f1, f2[, shallow]) Compare the files named *f1* and *f2*, returning ``True`` if they seem equal, ``False`` otherwise. Unless *shallow* is given and is false, files with identical :func:`os.stat` signatures are taken to be equal. Files that were compared using this function will not be compared again unless their :func:`os.stat` signature changes. Note that no external programs are called from this function, giving it portability and efficiency. .. function:: cmpfiles(dir1, dir2, common[, shallow]) Compare the files in the two directories *dir1* and *dir2* whose names are given by *common*. Returns three lists of file names: *match*, *mismatch*, *errors*. *match* contains the list of files that match, *mismatch* contains the names of those that don't, and *errors* lists the names of files which could not be compared. Files are listed in *errors* if they don't exist in one of the directories, the user lacks permission to read them or if the comparison could not be done for some other reason. The *shallow* parameter has the same meaning and default value as for :func:`filecmp.cmp`. For example, ``cmpfiles('a', 'b', ['c', 'd/e'])`` will compare ``a/c`` with ``b/c`` and ``a/d/e`` with ``b/d/e``. ``'c'`` and ``'d/e'`` will each be in one of the three returned lists. Example:: >>> import filecmp >>> filecmp.cmp('undoc.rst', 'undoc.rst') True >>> filecmp.cmp('undoc.rst', 'index.rst') False .. _dircmp-objects: The :class:`dircmp` class ------------------------- :class:`dircmp` instances are built using this constructor: .. class:: dircmp(a, b[, ignore[, hide]]) Construct a new directory comparison object, to compare the directories *a* and *b*. *ignore* is a list of names to ignore, and defaults to ``['RCS', 'CVS', 'tags']``. *hide* is a list of names to hide, and defaults to ``[os.curdir, os.pardir]``. The :class:`dircmp` class provides the following methods: .. method:: report() Print (to ``sys.stdout``) a comparison between *a* and *b*. .. method:: report_partial_closure() Print a comparison between *a* and *b* and common immediate subdirectories. .. method:: report_full_closure() Print a comparison between *a* and *b* and common subdirectories (recursively). The :class:`dircmp` offers a number of interesting attributes that may be used to get various bits of information about the directory trees being compared. Note that via :meth:`__getattr__` hooks, all attributes are computed lazily, so there is no speed penalty if only those attributes which are lightweight to compute are used. .. attribute:: left_list Files and subdirectories in *a*, filtered by *hide* and *ignore*. .. attribute:: right_list Files and subdirectories in *b*, filtered by *hide* and *ignore*. .. attribute:: common Files and subdirectories in both *a* and *b*. .. attribute:: left_only Files and subdirectories only in *a*. .. attribute:: right_only Files and subdirectories only in *b*. .. attribute:: common_dirs Subdirectories in both *a* and *b*. .. attribute:: common_files Files in both *a* and *b* .. attribute:: common_funny Names in both *a* and *b*, such that the type differs between the directories, or names for which :func:`os.stat` reports an error. .. attribute:: same_files Files which are identical in both *a* and *b*. .. attribute:: diff_files Files which are in both *a* and *b*, whose contents differ. .. attribute:: funny_files Files which are in both *a* and *b*, but could not be compared. .. attribute:: subdirs A dictionary mapping names in :attr:`common_dirs` to :class:`dircmp` objects.
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