Python os.path.ismount() Method

1. Syntax of Python os.path.ismount():
2. Example Codes: Use the os.path.ismount() Method
3. Example Codes: The os.path.ismount() Method Returns False Instead of an Exception
4. Example Codes: Difference Between the os.path.ismount() and path.is_mount() Methods
5. Example Codes: Use the os.path.ismount() Method to Find the Mount Point

In Python, we use the OS module for using different path methods. These methods provide us with a facility to interact with the operating system.

To use the path methods, we use the os.path as it is a sub-module of the OS module. One method we will discuss in this blog is os.path.ismount().

This method is used to check whether the specified path is a mount point or not. This means that a different file system has been mounted, called a point in a file system.

This method works on Windows, Unix, and Linux operating systems. However, this method’s behavior is different for all operating systems.

Syntax of Python os.path.ismount():

os.path.ismount(path)

Parameter

Return

This method returns a Boolean value, either True if the specified path is a mount point or False if not a mount point.

Example Codes: Use the os.path.ismount() Method

In the below example, we will use a simple example to check the usage of the os.path.ismount() method. We will try passing the parameter path to Windows and Unix operating systems.

1. Windows Operating System

   In Windows operating system, we will check two scenarios, where we pass the C: drive as a path to the ismount() method and then pass the E: drive to the same method.

   Let’s see the below demonstration and its source code. The output console shows that the root drive always returns True.

   # importing os.path module
   import os.path
   
   # On Windows, a root drive always shows the mount point
   source_path = "C:"
   # passing the path to the ismount method
   is_mount_path = os.path.ismount(source_path)
   print("ismount() method returns ", is_mount_path)
   
   # checking another path for mount point
   source_path = "D:"
   is_mount_path = os.path.ismount(source_path)
   print("ismount() method returns ", is_mount_path)
   

   Output:

   ismount() method returns True
   ismount() method returns False
   

2. Unix Operating System

   Let’s take a similar example to test the ismount() method on the Unix operating system. The os.path methods work differently for various operating systems.

   Let’s see the example below to examine the behavior of the ismount() method.

   # import os.path module on Unix operating system
   import os.path
   
   # first source Path
   source_path = "/dev"
   is_mount_point = os.path.ismount(source_path)
   print("ismount() method returns ", is_mount_point)
   # second source Path
   source_path = "/run"
   is_mount_point = os.path.ismount(source_path)
   print("ismount() method returns ", is_mount_point)
   

   Output:

   ismount() method returns True
   ismount() method returns False
   

Example Codes: The os.path.ismount() Method Returns False Instead of an Exception

In Python, the os.path.ismount() method returns the exception if the specified path has characters or bytes. After version 3.8, the ismount() method is changed and cannot return an exception; instead, it shows False on the console.

Let’s see an example to check the output if a character is sent as a parameter to the ismount() method and if it does not return an exception for an unpresentable path at the OS level.

import os.path

# character is passed as a parameter
source_path = "a"
# passing the path to the ismount method
is_mount_path = os.path.ismount(source_path)
print("ismount() method returns ", is_mount_path)

Output:

ismount() method returns False

Example Codes: Difference Between the os.path.ismount() and path.is_mount() Methods

The os.path module returns the string, whereas the Pathlib module returns the PosixPath object. With Pathlib, we can do many more operations with the returned object.

If you execute a program with the path.is_mount() method on the Windows operating system, then the output will say that Path.is_mount is not supported on this system. However, we can use this method on different operating systems such as Unix or Linux.

1. Linux Operating System

   Now, let’s take an example of the path.is_mount() method (assuming that we are not using the Windows operating system).

   # importing the pathlib module
   from pathlib import Path
   
   # source path for checking
   source_path = Path("/some/mounted/dir/")
   # Pathlib module is_mount() method
   print(source_path.is_mount())
   

   Output:

   False
   

2. Windows Operating System

   As we have already discussed, the behavior of this method varies according to the operating system. So, let’s test the above code on the Windows OS and discuss the following output shown on the console.

   from pathlib import Path
   
   # source path for checking
   source_path = Path("/some/mounted/dir/")
   # Pathlib module is_mount() method
   print(source_path.is_mount())
   

   Output:

   #do not use this pathlib module + is_mount() method on windows OS, or you will get this exception
   NotImplementedError: Path.is_mount() is unsupported on this system
   

   NotImplementedError is an exception thrown by the ismount() method when we try to run the above source code on the Windows OS.

Example Codes: Use the os.path.ismount() Method to Find the Mount Point

In this example, we will pass the full path to the os.path.ismount() method. The full path is passed to the real path, which is passed as a parameter.

We have to use the os.path.realpath() method for the real path. This method is used when we want to return the canonical path of the file name provided.

Let’s examine the below source code to elaborate on the example further. We have defined a function mount_point_search() method, which returns the mount point of the specified path.

import os.path

# method to search the mount point


def mount_point_search(path):
    # to get the canonical path by removing the symbolic links
    source_path = os.path.realpath(path)
    # method needed to avoid an infinite loop
    while not os.path.ismount(source_path):
        source_path = os.path.split(source_path)[0]
    # returns the mount point
    return source_path


mount_point = mount_point_search("C:/Users/lenovo/Downloads/API Spec")
print("ismount() method returns the mount point as: ", mount_point)

Output:

ismount() method returns the mount point as:  C:\