Open Folder in Desktop

[Kamilche]

Is there a command you can execute in Python that will open a window on
the desktop, such as 'My Documents'? Kind of like 'system', but for
folder names, not just programs. I'm running on Windows 2000.

[Dennis Benzinger]

Here are some commands you can use (tested on WinXP, so YMMV):

1. The os.system function

import os
os.system('explorer "c:\program files"')

This has the disadvantage that a cmd.exe windows is also opened,
because os.system executes the command in a subshell.

But using this approach the explorer starts in front of all other windows.

2. The os.startfile function

import os
os.startfile("C:\program files")

Using startfile doesn't open a cmd.exe window, but the folder window
is not started in front of the other windows

3. The subprocess.Popen function

import subprocess
subprocess.Popen('explorer "C:\program files"')

With subprocess.Popen no cmd.exe window is opened and the explorer
starts in front of the other windows.
But the subprocess module is new in Python 2.4.

Bye,
Dennis

[Ulf Göransson]

Maybe this is good enough?

os.system("explorer " + folder_path)

/ug

[Jimmy Retzlaff]

Kamilche wrote:
> Is there a command you can execute in Python that will open a window
on
> the desktop, such as 'My Documents'? Kind of like 'system', but for
> folder names, not just programs. I'm running on Windows 2000.

There are two issues here. The first is how to open a folder and the
second is how to resolve "special" folders. Folders are "documents"
typically associated with the explorer.exe application. To open a
document with its default app (e.g., a folder), use os.startfile which
is included in Python. For example:

import os
os.startfile(r'c:\windows')

Folders like My Documents, My Pictures, etc. are special and you need to
determine their actual path before you can open them. The pywin32
extensions
(https://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=78018) include a
way to get at this:

from win32com.shell import shellcon, shell
path = shell.SHGetFolderPath(0, shellcon.CSIDL_MYPICTURES, 0, 0)
os.startfile(path)

Google for CSIDL to find the constants to use for other special folders.

Jimmy

[vincent wehren]

Jimmy Retzlaff wrote:
> Kamilche wrote:
>
<sipped>

> Folders like My Documents, My Pictures, etc. are special and you need to
> determine their actual path before you can open them. The pywin32
> extensions
> (https://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=78018) include a
> way to get at this:
>
> from win32com.shell import shellcon, shell
> path = shell.SHGetFolderPath(0, shellcon.CSIDL_MYPICTURES, 0, 0)
> os.startfile(path)
>
> Google for CSIDL to find the constants to use for other special folders.

Here's the exact link you'll need (warning, long url ahead ;)

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/shellcc/platform/shell/reference/enums/csidl.asp

--

Vincent Wehren

>
> Jimmy

[Steve Holden]

Kamilche wrote:

os.system("start .")

works for me.

regards
Steve
--
Steve Holden http://www.holdenweb.com/
Python Web Programming http://pydish.holdenweb.com/
Holden Web LLC +1 703 861 4237 +1 800 494 3119

[Kamilche]

Thanks, startfile worked great for me!