correct way to catch exception with Python 'with' statement

[Ned Batchelder]

On Thursday, December 1, 2016 at 2:31:11 PM UTC-5, DFS wrote:
> After a simple test below, I submit that the above scenario would never 
> occur.  Ever.  The time gap between checking for the file's existence 
> and then trying to open it is far too short for another process to sneak 
> in and delete the file.

It doesn't matter how quickly the first operation is (usually) followed
by the second.  Your process could be swapped out between the two
operations. On a heavily loaded machine, there could be a very long
time between them even if on an average machine, they are executed very
quickly.

For most programs, yes, it probably will never be a problem to check
for existence, and then assume that the file still exists.  But put that
code on a server, and run it a couple of million times, with dozens of
other processes also manipulating files, and you will see failures.

How to best deal with this situation depends on what might happen to the
file, and how you can best coordinate with those other programs. Locks
only help if all the interfering programs also use those same locks. A
popular strategy is to simply use the file, and deal with the error that
happens if the file doesn't exist, though that might not make sense
depending on the logic of the program.  You might have to check that the
file exists, and then also deal with the (slim) possibility that it then
doesn't exist.

--Ned.