Detecting file name with Unicode characters in windows

Question

Python version: 2.7.3

Filename: test snowman character --☃--.mp3

Ran the following tests, None of them proved successful.

>>> os.path.exist('test snowman character --☃--.mp3')
False
>>> os.path.exist(repr('test snowman character --☃--.mp3'))
False
>>> os.path.isfile('test snowman character --\\xe2\\x98\\x83--.mp3')
False
>>> os.path.isfile(r'test snowman character --\\xe2\\x98\\x83--.mp3')
False
>>> os.path.isfile('test snowman character --☃--.mp3'.decode('utf-8'))
False

Tried to retrieve files with glob, even that test failed.

Objective is to detect and copy this file to another folder, Please Advise.

Answer 1

Use a unicode value; preferably with a unicode escape sequence:

os.path.isfile(u'test snowman character --\u2603--.mp3')

Python on Windows will use the correct Windows API for listing UTF16 files when you give it a unicode path.

For more information on how Python alters behaviour with unicode vs. bytestring file paths, see the Python Unicode HOWTO.