Python: Get URL path sections

Question

How do I get specific path sections from a url? For example, I want a function which operates on this:

http://www.mydomain.com/hithere?image=2934
         


        

Answer 1

Here is an example using urlparse and rpartition.

# Python 2x:
from urlparse import urlparse
# Python 3x:
from urllib.parse import urlparse

def printPathTokens(full_url):
    print('printPathTokens() called: %s' % full_url)

    p_full = urlparse(full_url).path

    print(' . p_full url: %s' % p_full)

    # Split the path using rpartition method of string
    # rpartition "returns a tuple containing the part the before separator,
    # argument string and the part after the separator" 
    (rp_left, rp_match, rp_right) = p_full.rpartition('/')

    if rp_match == '': # returns the rpartition separator if found
        print(' . No slashes found in path')
    else:
        print(' . path to last resource: %s' % rp_left)
        if rp_right == '': # Ended with a slash
            print(' . last resource: (none)')
        else:
            print(' . last resource: %s' % (rp_right))


printPathTokens('http://www.example.com/temp/something/happen/index.html')
# Output:
# printPathTokens() called: http://www.example.com/temp/something/happen/index.html
# . p_full url: /temp/something/happen/index.html
# . path to last resource: /temp/something/happen
# . last resource: index.html

printPathTokens('http://www.example.com/temp/something/happen/')
# Output:
# printPathTokens() called: http://www.example.com/temp/something/happen/
# . p_full url: /temp/something/happen/
# . path to last resource: /temp/something/happen
# . last resource: (none)

printPathTokens('http://www.example.com/temp/something/happen')
# Output:
# printPathTokens() called: http://www.example.com/temp/something/happen
# . p_full url: /temp/something/happen
# . path to last resource: /temp/something
# . last resource: happen