io - python open() escape backslash -

i have path file containing $ signs, escaped \ open() can handle path. open turns \$ \\$ automatically. example:

open("/home/test/\$somedir\$/file.txt", "r") result in error message  ioerror: [errno 2] no such file or directory: '/home/test/\\$somedir\\$/file.txt' 

can supress this. why open() that? can't find in docu of open, describes this.

open() doesn't that. it's python, escapes special characters when representing string:

>>> path = '\$' >>> path '\\$' >>> print path \$ 

in regular python string literal, \ has special meaning, escaped when echoing value, can pasted right python script or interpreter session recreate same value.

on linux or mac, not need escape $ value in filename; $ has no special meaning in regular python string, nor in linux or mac filenames:

>>> os.listdir('/tmp/$somedir$') ['test'] >>> open('/tmp/$somedir$/test') <open file '/tmp/$somedir$/test', mode 'r' @ 0x105579390>