bpo-29341: Clarify that path-like objects are accepted in some os methods (GH-10101)

Some methods in the os module can accept path-like objects. This is documented in the general documentation but not in the function docstrings. To keep both in sync, the docstrings need to be updated to reflect that path-like objects are also accepted.

Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2018-10-25-20-53-32.bpo-29341.jH-AMF.rst

+Clarify in the docstrings of :mod:`os` methods that path-like objects are also accepted
+as input parameters.

Modules/clinic/posixmodule.c.h

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ PyDoc_STRVAR(os_stat__doc__,
 "Perform a stat system call on the given path.\n"
 "\n"
 "  path\n"
-"    Path to be examined; can be string, bytes, path-like object or\n"
+"    Path to be examined; can be string, bytes, a path-like object or\n"
 "    open-file-descriptor int.\n"
 "  dir_fd\n"
 "    If not None, it should be a file descriptor open to a directory,\n"
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ PyDoc_STRVAR(os_access__doc__,
 "Use the real uid/gid to test for access to a path.\n"
 "\n"
 "  path\n"
-"    Path to be tested; can be string or bytes\n"
+"    Path to be tested; can be string, bytes, or a path-like object.\n"
 "  mode\n"
 "    Operating-system mode bitfield.  Can be F_OK to test existence,\n"
 "    or the inclusive-OR of R_OK, W_OK, and X_OK.\n"
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ PyDoc_STRVAR(os_chmod__doc__,
 "Change the access permissions of a file.\n"
 "\n"
 "  path\n"
-"    Path to be modified.  May always be specified as a str or bytes.\n"
+"    Path to be modified.  May always be specified as a str, bytes, or a path-like object.\n"
 "    On some platforms, path may also be specified as an open file descriptor.\n"
 "    If this functionality is unavailable, using it raises an exception.\n"
 "  mode\n"
@@ -655,7 +655,7 @@ PyDoc_STRVAR(os_chown__doc__,
 "Change the owner and group id of path to the numeric uid and gid.\\\n"
 "\n"
 "  path\n"
-"    Path to be examined; can be string, bytes, or open-file-descriptor int.\n"
+"    Path to be examined; can be string, bytes, a path-like object, or open-file-descriptor int.\n"
 "  dir_fd\n"
 "    If not None, it should be a file descriptor open to a directory,\n"
 "    and path should be relative; path will then be relative to that\n"
@@ -889,7 +889,7 @@ PyDoc_STRVAR(os_listdir__doc__,
 "\n"
 "Return a list containing the names of the files in the directory.\n"
 "\n"
-"path can be specified as either str or bytes.  If path is bytes,\n"
+"path can be specified as either str, bytes, or a path-like object.  If path is bytes,\n"
 "  the filenames returned will also be bytes; in all other circumstances\n"
 "  the filenames returned will be str.\n"
 "If path is None, uses the path=\'.\'.\n"
@@ -5532,7 +5532,7 @@ PyDoc_STRVAR(os_getxattr__doc__,
 "\n"
 "Return the value of extended attribute attribute on path.\n"
 "\n"
-"path may be either a string or an open file descriptor.\n"
+"path may be either a string, a path-like object, or an open file descriptor.\n"
 "If follow_symlinks is False, and the last element of the path is a symbolic\n"
 "  link, getxattr will examine the symbolic link itself instead of the file\n"
 "  the link points to.");
@@ -5580,7 +5580,7 @@ PyDoc_STRVAR(os_setxattr__doc__,
 "\n"
 "Set extended attribute attribute on path to value.\n"
 "\n"
-"path may be either a string or an open file descriptor.\n"
+"path may be either a string, a path-like object,  or an open file descriptor.\n"
 "If follow_symlinks is False, and the last element of the path is a symbolic\n"
 "  link, setxattr will modify the symbolic link itself instead of the file\n"
 "  the link points to.");
@@ -5633,7 +5633,7 @@ PyDoc_STRVAR(os_removexattr__doc__,
 "\n"
 "Remove extended attribute attribute on path.\n"
 "\n"
-"path may be either a string or an open file descriptor.\n"
+"path may be either a string, a path-like object, or an open file descriptor.\n"
 "If follow_symlinks is False, and the last element of the path is a symbolic\n"
 "  link, removexattr will modify the symbolic link itself instead of the file\n"
 "  the link points to.");
@@ -5680,7 +5680,7 @@ PyDoc_STRVAR(os_listxattr__doc__,
 "\n"
 "Return a list of extended attributes on path.\n"
 "\n"
-"path may be either None, a string, or an open file descriptor.\n"
+"path may be either None, a string, a path-like object, or an open file descriptor.\n"
 "if path is None, listxattr will examine the current directory.\n"
 "If follow_symlinks is False, and the last element of the path is a symbolic\n"
 "  link, listxattr will examine the symbolic link itself instead of the file\n"
@@ -6140,7 +6140,7 @@ PyDoc_STRVAR(os_scandir__doc__,
 "\n"
 "Return an iterator of DirEntry objects for given path.\n"
 "\n"
-"path can be specified as either str, bytes or path-like object.  If path\n"
+"path can be specified as either str, bytes, or a path-like object.  If path\n"
 "is bytes, the names of yielded DirEntry objects will also be bytes; in\n"
 "all other circumstances they will be str.\n"
 "\n"
@@ -6757,4 +6757,4 @@ exit:
 #ifndef OS_GETRANDOM_METHODDEF
     #define OS_GETRANDOM_METHODDEF
 #endif /* !defined(OS_GETRANDOM_METHODDEF) */
-/*[clinic end generated code: output=1603fddefffa1fb9 input=a9049054013a1b77]*/
+/*[clinic end generated code: output=f2951c34e0907fb6 input=a9049054013a1b77]*/

Modules/posixmodule.c

@@ -2480,7 +2480,7 @@ class sched_param_converter(CConverter):
 os.stat
 
     path : path_t(allow_fd=True)
-        Path to be examined; can be string, bytes, path-like object or
+        Path to be examined; can be string, bytes, a path-like object or
         open-file-descriptor int.
 
     *
@@ -2508,7 +2508,7 @@ It's an error to use dir_fd or follow_symlinks when specifying path as
 
 static PyObject *
 os_stat_impl(PyObject *module, path_t *path, int dir_fd, int follow_symlinks)
-/*[clinic end generated code: output=7d4976e6f18a59c5 input=270bd64e7bb3c8f7]*/
+/*[clinic end generated code: output=7d4976e6f18a59c5 input=01d362ebcc06996b]*/
 {
     return posix_do_stat("stat", path, dir_fd, follow_symlinks);
 }
@@ -2542,7 +2542,7 @@ os_lstat_impl(PyObject *module, path_t *path, int dir_fd)
 os.access -> bool
 
     path: path_t
-        Path to be tested; can be string or bytes
+        Path to be tested; can be string, bytes, or a path-like object.
 
     mode: int
         Operating-system mode bitfield.  Can be F_OK to test existence,
@@ -2580,7 +2580,7 @@ Note that most operations will use the effective uid/gid, therefore this
 static int
 os_access_impl(PyObject *module, path_t *path, int mode, int dir_fd,
                int effective_ids, int follow_symlinks)
-/*[clinic end generated code: output=cf84158bc90b1a77 input=8e8c3a6ba791fee3]*/
+/*[clinic end generated code: output=cf84158bc90b1a77 input=3ffe4e650ee3bf20]*/
 {
     int return_value;
 
@@ -2772,7 +2772,7 @@ os_fchdir_impl(PyObject *module, int fd)
 os.chmod
 
     path: path_t(allow_fd='PATH_HAVE_FCHMOD')
-        Path to be modified.  May always be specified as a str or bytes.
+        Path to be modified.  May always be specified as a str, bytes, or a path-like object.
         On some platforms, path may also be specified as an open file descriptor.
         If this functionality is unavailable, using it raises an exception.
 
@@ -2803,7 +2803,7 @@ dir_fd and follow_symlinks may not be implemented on your platform.
 static PyObject *
 os_chmod_impl(PyObject *module, path_t *path, int mode, int dir_fd,
               int follow_symlinks)
-/*[clinic end generated code: output=5cf6a94915cc7bff input=7f1618e5e15cc196]*/
+/*[clinic end generated code: output=5cf6a94915cc7bff input=989081551c00293b]*/
 {
     int result;
 
@@ -3123,7 +3123,7 @@ os_fdatasync_impl(PyObject *module, int fd)
 os.chown
 
     path : path_t(allow_fd='PATH_HAVE_FCHOWN')
-        Path to be examined; can be string, bytes, or open-file-descriptor int.
+        Path to be examined; can be string, bytes, a path-like object, or open-file-descriptor int.
 
     uid: uid_t
 
@@ -3161,7 +3161,7 @@ dir_fd and follow_symlinks may not be implemented on your platform.
 static PyObject *
 os_chown_impl(PyObject *module, path_t *path, uid_t uid, gid_t gid,
               int dir_fd, int follow_symlinks)
-/*[clinic end generated code: output=4beadab0db5f70cd input=a61cc35574814d5d]*/
+/*[clinic end generated code: output=4beadab0db5f70cd input=b08c5ec67996a97d]*/
 {
     int result;
 
@@ -3688,7 +3688,7 @@ os.listdir
 
 Return a list containing the names of the files in the directory.
 
-path can be specified as either str or bytes.  If path is bytes,
+path can be specified as either str, bytes, or a path-like object.  If path is bytes,
   the filenames returned will also be bytes; in all other circumstances
   the filenames returned will be str.
 If path is None, uses the path='.'.
@@ -3704,7 +3704,7 @@ entries '.' and '..' even if they are present in the directory.
 
 static PyObject *
 os_listdir_impl(PyObject *module, path_t *path)
-/*[clinic end generated code: output=293045673fcd1a75 input=09e300416e3cd729]*/
+/*[clinic end generated code: output=293045673fcd1a75 input=e3f58030f538295d]*/
 {
 #if defined(MS_WINDOWS) && !defined(HAVE_OPENDIR)
     return _listdir_windows_no_opendir(path, NULL);
@@ -11415,7 +11415,7 @@ os.getxattr
 
 Return the value of extended attribute attribute on path.
 
-path may be either a string or an open file descriptor.
+path may be either a string, a path-like object, or an open file descriptor.
 If follow_symlinks is False, and the last element of the path is a symbolic
   link, getxattr will examine the symbolic link itself instead of the file
   the link points to.
@@ -11425,7 +11425,7 @@ If follow_symlinks is False, and the last element of the path is a symbolic
 static PyObject *
 os_getxattr_impl(PyObject *module, path_t *path, path_t *attribute,
                  int follow_symlinks)
-/*[clinic end generated code: output=5f2f44200a43cff2 input=8c8ea3bab78d89c2]*/
+/*[clinic end generated code: output=5f2f44200a43cff2 input=025789491708f7eb]*/
 {
     Py_ssize_t i;
     PyObject *buffer = NULL;
@@ -11487,7 +11487,7 @@ os.setxattr
 
 Set extended attribute attribute on path to value.
 
-path may be either a string or an open file descriptor.
+path may be either a string, a path-like object,  or an open file descriptor.
 If follow_symlinks is False, and the last element of the path is a symbolic
   link, setxattr will modify the symbolic link itself instead of the file
   the link points to.
@@ -11497,7 +11497,7 @@ If follow_symlinks is False, and the last element of the path is a symbolic
 static PyObject *
 os_setxattr_impl(PyObject *module, path_t *path, path_t *attribute,
                  Py_buffer *value, int flags, int follow_symlinks)
-/*[clinic end generated code: output=98b83f63fdde26bb input=f0d26833992015c2]*/
+/*[clinic end generated code: output=98b83f63fdde26bb input=c17c0103009042f0]*/
 {
     ssize_t result;
 
@@ -11535,7 +11535,7 @@ os.removexattr
 
 Remove extended attribute attribute on path.
 
-path may be either a string or an open file descriptor.
+path may be either a string, a path-like object, or an open file descriptor.
 If follow_symlinks is False, and the last element of the path is a symbolic
   link, removexattr will modify the symbolic link itself instead of the file
   the link points to.
@@ -11545,7 +11545,7 @@ If follow_symlinks is False, and the last element of the path is a symbolic
 static PyObject *
 os_removexattr_impl(PyObject *module, path_t *path, path_t *attribute,
                     int follow_symlinks)
-/*[clinic end generated code: output=521a51817980cda6 input=cdb54834161e3329]*/
+/*[clinic end generated code: output=521a51817980cda6 input=3d9a7d36fe2f7c4e]*/
 {
     ssize_t result;
 
@@ -11578,7 +11578,7 @@ os.listxattr
 
 Return a list of extended attributes on path.
 
-path may be either None, a string, or an open file descriptor.
+path may be either None, a string, a path-like object, or an open file descriptor.
 if path is None, listxattr will examine the current directory.
 If follow_symlinks is False, and the last element of the path is a symbolic
   link, listxattr will examine the symbolic link itself instead of the file
@@ -11587,7 +11587,7 @@ If follow_symlinks is False, and the last element of the path is a symbolic
 
 static PyObject *
 os_listxattr_impl(PyObject *module, path_t *path, int follow_symlinks)
-/*[clinic end generated code: output=bebdb4e2ad0ce435 input=08cca53ac0b07c13]*/
+/*[clinic end generated code: output=bebdb4e2ad0ce435 input=9826edf9fdb90869]*/
 {
     Py_ssize_t i;
     PyObject *result = NULL;
@@ -12836,7 +12836,7 @@ os.scandir
 
 Return an iterator of DirEntry objects for given path.
 
-path can be specified as either str, bytes or path-like object.  If path
+path can be specified as either str, bytes, or a path-like object.  If path
 is bytes, the names of yielded DirEntry objects will also be bytes; in
 all other circumstances they will be str.
 
@@ -12845,7 +12845,7 @@ If path is None, uses the path='.'.
 
 static PyObject *
 os_scandir_impl(PyObject *module, path_t *path)
-/*[clinic end generated code: output=6eb2668b675ca89e input=b139dc1c57f60846]*/
+/*[clinic end generated code: output=6eb2668b675ca89e input=6bdd312708fc3bb0]*/
 {
     ScandirIterator *iterator;
 #ifdef MS_WINDOWS