Error message if there is a space in the source directory

[lukefrancomusic at gmail.com]

I am trying to learn Python. I am working on a simple backup program
(code listed below). When using a source directory (the files to be
backed up) without spaces in the title, my program works fine [see
line 5]. If I try to access a directory with a space in the name the
program fails with this error message:

zip error:Nothing to do! (try: zip -qr C:\Backup\
\06.02.2007\BackUp at _10.03.57.zip . -i C:\test\test2\\)
Backup FAILED

I've been trying to find the answer for a while now but am stumped and
don't know exactly what to look for. Any help would be greatly
appreciated!


   1. # C:\python25\programs\
   2. # File name: backup3debug.py
   3. import os, time
   4. # 1. The files and directories to be backed up are specified in
a list.
   5. source = [r'C:\test\test2\\']
   6. # 2. The backup must be stored in a main backup directory.
   7. target_directory = r'C:\Backup\\'
   8. # 3. The files are backed up into a zip file.
   9. # 4. The name of the directory is the current date.
  10. today = target_directory + time.strftime('%m.%d.%Y')
  11. # The current time is the name of the zip archive.
  12. now = time.strftime('BackUp at _%H.%M.%S')
  13. # Create the subdirectory if it does not exist already.
  14. if not os.path.exists(today):
  15.    os.mkdir(today)
  16.    print 'Successfully created directory', today
  17. # The name of the zip file.
  18. target = os.path.join(today, now + '.zip')
  19. # 5. We use the standard ''zip'' command to put the files in a
zip archive.
  20. zip_command = "zip -qr %s %s" % (target, ' '.join(source))
  21. print zip_command
  22. # Run the backup
  23. if os.system(zip_command) == 0:
  24.    print 'sucessful backup to', target
  25. else:
  26.    print 'Backup FAILED'

When using a source like this on line 5:

source = [r'C:\test\test 2\\']

which has a space in the title, the program will not work.
====================================================
Windows XP sp2
Dell Latitude D600