What does local relative filename means in Python? -

i found, proceess files given filename need do

import os dir = os.path.dirname(__file__) filename = os.path.join(dir, '/relative/path/to/file/you/want') 

or

import os dir = os.getcwd() filename = os.path.join(dir, '/relative/path/to/file/you/want') 

but if do

filename = 'myfile.txt' 

then file?

short answer: in current working directory.

long answer:

from https://docs.python.org/2/library/stdtypes.html#bltin-file-objects

file objects implemented using c’s stdio package

from https://docs.python.org/2/library/functions.html#open

the first 2 arguments same stdio‘s fopen(): name file name opened

so, answered looking @ documentation stdio:

from http://www.cplusplus.com/reference/cstdio/fopen/

filename

c string containing name of file opened.

its value shall follow file name specifications of running environment , can include path (if supported system).

"specifications of running environment" means interpret if typed path running file from, aka, cwd.

for example, if have script located in ~/desktop/temp.py reads:

f = open("log.txt", 'r') print "success opening" f.close() 

and have file located @ ~/desktop/log.txt, following output:

~/desktop $ python temp.py success opening 

but if cd .. , try again:

~ $ python ~/desktop/temp.py traceback (most recent call last):   file "/home/whrrgarbl/desktop/temp.py", line 1, in <module>     f = open("log.txt", 'r') ioerror: [errno 2] no such file or directory: 'log.txt' 

just verify:

~ $ touch log.txt ~ $ python ~/desktop/temp.py success opening 

so can see trying open relative directory ran script from, not directory in script located.