[Errno 18] Invalid cross-device link using os.rename

[Fredrik Lundh]

Scott Whitney wrote:

> os.rename(oldName,newName) gives:
>
> OSError: [Errno 18] Invalid cross-device link
>
> mv from the shell works fine.
>
> This is Python 2.2.3 from RedHat 9.0.
>
> Any suggestions (other than os.system('mv %s %s')?)

catch exception and copy if error == errno.EXDEV.

(this is what "mv" does, of course)

or use shutil.move:

>>> import shutil
>>> help(shutil.move)
Help on function move in module shutil:

move(src, dst)
    Recursively move a file or directory to another location.

    If the destination is on our current filesystem, then simply use
    rename.  Otherwise, copy src to the dst and then remove src.
    A lot more could be done here...  A look at a mv.c shows a lot of
    the issues this implementation glosses over.

</F>