1 files changed, 17 insertions, 8 deletions
diff --git a/Lib/filecmp.py b/Lib/filecmp.py
index f5cea1de6f..328528871a 100644
--- a/Lib/filecmp.py
+++ b/Lib/filecmp.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ Classes:
 Functions:
     cmp(f1, f2, shallow=True) -> int
     cmpfiles(a, b, common) -> ([], [], [])
+    clear_cache()
 
 """
 
@@ -13,11 +14,18 @@ import os
 import stat
 from itertools import filterfalse
 
-__all__ = ["cmp", "dircmp", "cmpfiles"]
+__all__ = ['clear_cache', 'cmp', 'dircmp', 'cmpfiles', 'DEFAULT_IGNORES']
 
 _cache = {}
 BUFSIZE = 8*1024
 
+DEFAULT_IGNORES = [
+    'RCS', 'CVS', 'tags', '.git', '.hg', '.bzr', '_darcs', '__pycache__']
+
+def clear_cache():
+    """Clear the filecmp cache."""
+    _cache.clear()
+
 def cmp(f1, f2, shallow=True):
     """Compare two files.
 
@@ -35,7 +43,8 @@ def cmp(f1, f2, shallow=True):
     True if the files are the same, False otherwise.
 
     This function uses a cache for past comparisons and the results,
-    with a cache invalidation mechanism relying on stale signatures.
+    with a cache invalidation mechanism relying on stale signatures
+    or by explicitly calling clear_cache().
 
     """
 
@@ -52,7 +61,7 @@ def cmp(f1, f2, shallow=True):
     if outcome is None:
         outcome = _do_cmp(f1, f2)
         if len(_cache) > 100:      # limit the maximum size of the cache
-            _cache.clear()
+            clear_cache()
         _cache[f1, f2, s1, s2] = outcome
     return outcome
 
@@ -80,7 +89,7 @@ class dircmp:
     dircmp(a, b, ignore=None, hide=None)
       A and B are directories.
       IGNORE is a list of names to ignore,
-        defaults to ['RCS', 'CVS', 'tags'].
+        defaults to DEFAULT_IGNORES.
       HIDE is a list of names to hide,
         defaults to [os.curdir, os.pardir].
 
@@ -116,7 +125,7 @@ class dircmp:
         else:
             self.hide = hide
         if ignore is None:
-            self.ignore = ['RCS', 'CVS', 'tags'] # Names ignored in comparison
+            self.ignore = DEFAULT_IGNORES
         else:
             self.ignore = ignore
 
@@ -147,12 +156,12 @@ class dircmp:
             ok = 1
             try:
                 a_stat = os.stat(a_path)
-            except os.error as why:
+            except OSError as why:
                 # print('Can\'t stat', a_path, ':', why.args[1])
                 ok = 0
             try:
                 b_stat = os.stat(b_path)
-            except os.error as why:
+            except OSError as why:
                 # print('Can\'t stat', b_path, ':', why.args[1])
                 ok = 0
 
@@ -268,7 +277,7 @@ def cmpfiles(a, b, common, shallow=True):
 def _cmp(a, b, sh, abs=abs, cmp=cmp):
     try:
         return not abs(cmp(a, b, sh))
-    except os.error:
+    except OSError:
         return 2