Make a unique filesystem path, without creating the file

[Ben Finney]

Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python at pearwood.info> writes:

> On Monday 15 February 2016 11:08, Ben Finney wrote:
>
> > I am unconcerned with whether there is a real filesystem entry of
> > that name; the goal entails having no filesystem activity for this.
> > I want a valid unique filesystem path, without touching the
> > filesystem.
>
> Your phrasing is ambiguous.

The existing behaviour of ‘tempfile.mktemp’ – actually of its internal
class ‘tempfile._RandomNameSequence’ – is to generate unpredictable,
unique, valid filesystem paths that are different each time.

That's the behaviour I want, in a public API that exposes what
‘tempfile’ already has implemented, documented in a way that doesn't
create a scare about security.

> But if you explain in more detail why you want this filename, perhaps
> we can come up with some ideas that will help.

The behaviour is already implemented in the standard library. What I'm
looking for is a way to use it (not re-implement it) that is public API
and isn't scolded by the library documentation.

-- 
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Ben Finney