Python | os.path.expanduser() method

11 Oct, 2021
OS module in Python provides functions for interacting with the operating system. OS comes under Python’s standard utility modules. This module provides a portable way of using operating system dependent functionality. os.path module is sub module of OS module in Python used for common pathname manipulation.os.path.expanduser() method in Python is used to expand an initial path component ~( tilde symbol) or ~user in the given path to user’s home directory. On Unix platforms, an initial ~ is replaced by the value of HOME environment variable, if it is set. Otherwise, os.path.expanduser() method search for user’s home directory in password directory using an in-built module pwd. Path containing an initial ~user component is looked up directly in the password directory.On Windows platform, an initial ~ is replaced by the value of HOME and USERPROFILE environment variable, if it is set. Otherwise, HOMEPATH and HOMEDRIVE environment variable will be used. While Path containing an initial ~user component is handled by replacing the last directory component with ~user from the path derived above. 
Syntax: os.path.expanduser(path)Parameter: path: A path-like object representing a file system path. A path-like object is either a string or bytes object representing a path.Return Type: This method returns a string value which represents the path after expanding an initial path component ~ or ~user in the given path. 
Code #1: Use of os.path.expanduser() method (On Unix)  
Python3
# Python program to explain os.path.expanduser() method     # importing os.path module import os.path    # Pathpath = "~/file.txt"  # Expand an initial ~ component# in the given path# using os.path.expanduser() methodfull_path = os.path.expanduser(path)  # print the path after# expanding the initial ~ component# in the given pathprint(full_path)    # Change the value of# HOME environment variableos.environ["HOME"] = "/home / GeeksForGeeks"    # Now, Expand the initial ~ component# in the same path# using os.path.expanduser() methodfull_path = os.path.expanduser(path)  # print the path after# expanding initial ~ component# in the given pathprint(full_path)    # While expansion, An initial# ~user component is looked# up directly in the password directory.  # Path having an initial# ~user componentpath = "~ihritik / file.txt"  # Expand the initial ~user# component in the given path# using os.path.expanduser() methodfull_path = os.path.expanduser(path)  # print the path after# expanding the initial ~user# component in the given pathprint(full_path)
/home/ihritik/file.txt
/home/GeeksForGeeks/file.txt
/home/ihritik/file.txt
 
Code #2: Use of os.path.expanduser() method (On Windows)  
Python3
# Python program to explain os.path.expandvars() method      # importing os.path module import os.path   # On Windows % name % expansions# are supported in addition to# $name and ${name}   # Path 1path1 = R"% HOMEPATH %\Directory\file.txt"   # Path 2path2 = R"C:\Users\$USERNAME\Directory\file.txt"   # Path 3path3 = R"${TEMP}\file.txt"   # Expand the environment variables# with their corresponding # value in the given paths  exp_var1 = os.path.expandvars(path1)exp_var2 = os.path.expandvars(path2)exp_var3 = os.path.expandvars(path3)   # Print the given paths with# environment variables expandedprint(exp_var1)print(exp_var2)print(exp_var3)      # In the above example # os.path.expandvars() method# replaced the environment variables# 'HOMEPATH', 'USERNAME' and 'TEMP'# with their corresponding values
\\Users\\Hritik\\\Directory\\file.txt
C:\\Users\\Hritik\\\Directory\\file.txt
C:\\Users\\Hritik\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\file.txt
 
Code #3: 3: If environment variable does not exists  
Python3
# Python program to explain os.path.expandvars() method      # importing os.path module import os.path   # If environment variable # is malformed or does not exists# then the given path will be# left unchanged   # Pathpath = R"${MYHOME}/Directory / file.txt"   # Expand the environment variables# with their corresponding # value in the given paths  exp_var = os.path.expandvars(path)   # Print the given patha with# environment variables expandedprint(exp_var)      # As 'MYHOME' environment variable# does not exists so# os.path.expandvars() method# will return the given path# unchanged
${MYHOME}/Directory/file.txt
 
Reference: https://docs.python.org/3/library/os.path.html 
simranarora5sos
adnanirshad158
Python OS-path-module
python-os-module
Python
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