Python expand OSX path with spaces in it
Question: I'm trying to modify the plist file at:
`/Volumes/MacintoshHD/Users/christian/Library/Application Support/iPhone
Simulator/4.3.2/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Accessibility.plist`

Here's my noob python script:

    
    
    import plistlib
    import os.path
    
    #set path 
    prefs_path = os.path.expanduser("~/Library/Application\ Support/iPhone\ Simulator/5.0/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Accessibility.plist")
    
    #parse
    prefs = plistlib.readPlist(prefs_path)
    

I get `IOError: 2, 'No such file or directory'`

If I remove the backslashes from the path I get `ExpatError: 'not well-formed
(invalid token): line 1, column 8'`

## Update

[Ignacio Vazquez-Abram's
answer](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7578850/python-expand-osx-path-
with-spaces-in-it/7578921#7578921) suggests that the file is corrupted. It's
still editable with Xcode and viewable with Quicklook. Also the simulator
works fine.

When I open it in textmate all I see is this:

    
    
    bplist00ÿ           
    D   _ApplicationAccessibilityEnabled_VOTQuickNavEnabled_AccessibilityEnabled]ScreenCurtain_"VoiceOverTouchRotorItemsPreference_AXInspector.enabled_AXInspector.frame_AXInspectorEnabled         Ø"%(+.147:=@“   YRotorItemWEnabledYCharacter    “   TWord   “   TLine   “   VHeader “   TLink   “   [FormElement    “#  ZTableStart “&YListStart“)YLandmarks“,[VisitedLink“/^NonVisitedLink“2VButton“5YTextField“8UImage“;ZStaticText“>\InternalLink“ATZoom_{{0, 0}, {276, 166}}    ;Pguö∞ƒŸ⁄€‹›Òˆ#().56;@AFRSXcdistyÉÑâïñõ™´∞∑∏Ω«»Õ”‘Ÿ‰ÂÍ˜¯˝F
    

Are the iPhone simulator plists not editable by python or is this a corrupted
file? Is there a way around this?


Answer: The expat error means that you've gotten to the file, but there's something
wrong with it. Open the file and verify that it's not been corrupted.

**EDIT:**

Aaah, it's a binary plist. Yeah, `plistlib` can't handle those. You want
[`libplist`](https://github.com/JonathanBeck/libplist) instead.

