Question

6

How can I get the (XDG) Default User Directories from Python?

rated 0 times [ 6] [ 0] / answers: 1 / hits: 11582 / 1 Year ago, mon, march 13, 2023, 11:45:54

By example,
In English the default user folders will be:

$HOME/Desktop

....

$HOME/Videos

In Spanish the default user folders will be:

$HOME/Escritorio

....

$HOME/Vídeos

The file ~/.config/user-dirs.dirs has those localize names for the default folders. (Always?).

I need to get those names from a python script. I'd like not to parse that file. Is there other elegant way?
I found this:

from xdg.BaseDirectory import *

print xdg_cache_home

print xdg_config_dirs

print xdg_config_home

print xdg_data_dirs

print xdg_data_home

But it doesn't return those folders.

Thanks in advance!

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truwom

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4 Years ago

answered 1 Year ago epypian · Accepted Answer

If you don't mind getting a dependency on GLib or if you're already using GTK as toolkit, you can use the GLib.get_user_special_dir() method.

>>> from gi.repository import GLib

>>> GLib.get_user_special_dir(GLib.USER_DIRECTORY_PICTURES)

'/home/timo/Afbeeldingen'

>>> GLib.get_user_special_dir(GLib.USER_DIRECTORY_DOCUMENTS)

'/home/timo/Documenten'

>>> GLib.get_user_special_dir(GLib.USER_DIRECTORY_DOWNLOAD)

'/home/timo/Downloads'

All available directories:

G_USER_DIRECTORY_DESKTOP         the user's Desktop directory

G_USER_DIRECTORY_DOCUMENTS       the user's Documents directory

G_USER_DIRECTORY_DOWNLOAD        the user's Downloads directory

G_USER_DIRECTORY_MUSIC           the user's Music directory

G_USER_DIRECTORY_PICTURES        the user's Pictures directory

G_USER_DIRECTORY_PUBLIC_SHARE    the user's shared directory

G_USER_DIRECTORY_TEMPLATES       the user's Templates directory

G_USER_DIRECTORY_VIDEOS          the user's Movies directory

G_USER_N_DIRECTORIES             the number of enum values

If you get this error message:

ImportError: When using gi.repository you must not import static
modules like "gobject". Please change all occurrences of "import
gobject" to "from gi.repository import GObject".

You need to use this:

import glib

return glib.get_user_special_dir(glib.USER_DIRECTORY_PICTURES)