def _mkdir(newdir): """works the way a good mkdir should :) - already exists, silently complete - regular file in the way, raise an exception - parent directory(ies) does not exist, make them as well """ if os.path.isdir(newdir): pass elif os.path.isfile(newdir): raise OSError("a file with the same name as the desired " \ "dir, '%s', already exists." % newdir) else: head, tail = os.path.split(newdir) if head and not os.path.isdir(head): _mkdir(head) #print "_mkdir %s" % repr(newdir) if tail: os.mkdir(newdir)