locking - Python: Lock directory

Question

AFAIK this code can be used to lock a directory:

class LockDirectory(object):
    def __init__(self, directory):
        assert os.path.exists(directory)
        self.directory = directory

    def __enter__(self):
        self.dir_fd = os.open(self.directory, os.O_RDONLY)
        try:
            fcntl.flock(self.dir_fd, fcntl.LOCK_EX | fcntl.LOCK_NB)
        except IOError as ex:
            if ex.errno != errno.EAGAIN:
                raise
            raise Exception('Somebody else is locking %r - quitting.' % self.directory)

    def __exit__(self, exc_type, exc_val, exc_tb):
        self.dir_fd.close()

But according to the answers of this question locking a directoy is not possible: Python: Lock a directory

What is wrong with above code?

I only need to support current linux version. No Windows, Mac or other unix.

Answer 1

I change your code a bit,add return self like most context manage do,then with dup(),the second context manage will fail.and the solution is simple,uncommentfcntl.flock(self.dir_fd,fcntl.LOCK_UN)

The mode used to open the file doesn't matter to flock.

and you cannot flock on NFS.

import os
import fcntl
import time
class LockDirectory(object):
    def __init__(self, directory):
        assert os.path.exists(directory)
        self.directory = directory

    def __enter__(self):
        self.dir_fd = os.open(self.directory, os.O_RDONLY)
        try:
            fcntl.flock(self.dir_fd, fcntl.LOCK_EX | fcntl.LOCK_NB)
        except IOError as ex:             
            raise Exception('Somebody else is locking %r - quitting.' % self.directory)
        return self

    def __exit__(self, exc_type, exc_val, exc_tb):
        # fcntl.flock(self.dir_fd,fcntl.LOCK_UN)
        os.close(self.dir_fd)

def main():
    with LockDirectory("test") as lock:
        newfd = os.dup(lock.dir_fd)
    with LockDirectory("test") as lock2:
        pass

if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()