function that splits a path into all its components

split_paths.py

def split_path(path):
    """split a path fully into its components

    :param path: input path string
    :return: list of the split path

    .. todo:: see how to use generators with the yield statement
    .. todo:: to replace the while loop

    .. code-block:: python

         # split a path into all its components
         my_path = '/path/to/foo'
         print(split_path(my_path))
         >>> ['/', 'path', 'to', 'foo']

         # generate the input path from the split path
         assert my_path == os.path.join(*split_path(my_path))
         >>> True
    """
    retval = []
    path_head, path_tail = os.path.split(path)

    while path_tail != '':
        retval.insert(0, path_tail)
        path_head, path_tail = os.path.split(path_head)
    retval.insert(0, path_head)

    return retval