tmpdir

https://github.com/jeremybanks/tmpdir

tmpdir is a Python 2.6/2.7 module and command-line tool for working with temporary directories. It reads and writes tar, tgz, tbz2 and zip archives.

tmpdir is available in PyPi, so you can install with setuptools...

$ easy_install tmpdir

...or with pip...

$ pip install tmpdir

It's not stable yet, but is mostly working.

Command-line Tool

The command line tool initializes a temporary folder, runs a command inside it, then deletes it. All options/arguments are optional.

tmpdir
       $ARCHIVE
           loads an archive into the temporary folder.

       -o, --out=$ARCHIVE
           dumps folder contents into an archive after command exits.

       -c, --command="foo [bar bar bar...]"
       -s, --shell="echo foo > bar"
           specifies the command to run in the directory.
           use --shell to run inside /bin/sh.

       -d, --delete=secure
                       uses srm --simple to delete directory.
                       fails if srm command is unavailable.
                   =pseudo-secure (default for empty directories)
                       overwrites and renames files before erasing,
                       providing some security on some platforms.                          
                   =attempt-secure (default for loaded archives)
                       attempts --secure, falls back to --pseudo-secure.
                   =not-secure
                       deletes directory normally.

       -r, --on-error=ignore
                         discard subcommand exit status.
                     =fail (default)
                         returns exit status from subcommand.
                     =abort
                         returns exit status from subcommand, and
                         does not archive if it's nonzero.

If a command isn't given, it defaults to bash --login if run from a shell and read -p "Press enter to delete directory..." otherwise.

When loading an archive it defaults to --not-secure, when creating a new one it defaults to --attempt-secure.

Example Usage

Run wget --mirror in a temporary folder and archive the output files in a tarball.

~ $ tmpdir -c "wget stackoverflow.com --mirror -Q 2M" -o so.tgz

Want to compile and install something, but not need to hold on to the source?

~ $ tmpdir
Initializing temporary directory... (secure delete: True)
/var/folders/fo/fouMw75NGU0zIHpZkU2RF++++TI/-Tmp-/tmpsDGvow/tmp
----------------
tmp $ wget http://python.org/ftp/python/2.7.2/Python-2.7.2.tar.bz2 

[download, ./configure, make, make test, make install...]

tmp $ logout
----------------
Deleting temporary directory... (secure delete: True)
~ $

Python Module

...

License (MIT)

Copyright 2011 Jeremy Banks jeremy@jeremybanks.ca

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.