Why wont this path work one way, but will the other way?

[cubangt]

Im trying to run a python script using this as one of the paths to a text file that it needs in order to process

This wont work

\\server01\it\RegisterPing\Lists\Register.txt

But if i map that same path then it works

I:\RegisterPing\Lists\Register.txt

Right now this works because im running it on my pc and can map the drive, but this script is going to be moved to a server where they dont want mapped drives. Does python not work with the full server path as in the first example.

[deanhystad]

Don't use "\" in file descriptors. Use "/". "\" can be used as a separator in a file descriptor, but it can also be used to as the start of an escape sequence in a string literal. In your example, "\\" is being ireplaced with "\", the first backslash telling Python to treat the next backslash as a backslash character.

You could do this: \\\\server01\\it\\RegisterPing\\Lists\\Register.txt, but that just looks silly. Instead use: //server01/it/RegisterPing/Lists/Register.txt

You got lucky (or unlucky depending on your point of view) that I:\RegisterPing\Lists\Register.txt worked. if any of the folders started with b, f, n, x, t, o or x, the backslash would have been used as an escape character (\n for new line).

[cubangt]

man oh man lol

thank you for pointing out the issues and reasons for not working as expected. Ill make the changes and retest.

thanks again.