TIGER OGR on Windows doesn't work with Backslash?

[warmerdam]

After struggling with using TIGER line data through OGR within the Windows
binary version 3.6, I finally figured out something that is probably worth
getting into the mailing archives - just in case someone else is searching for
the solution.
 
On Windows, paths in .map files can happily use the \ backslash, including the
paths of other OGR types such as MapInfo TAB.  However, OGR for TIGER line
doesn't work unless you use strictly / foreslashes in your paths.  Pure trial
and error landed me with that conclusion.  Perhaps it is a bug, or perhaps it is
by design.  Either way it's the way it is.
 
Although, as the documentation warns, TIGER data is so terribly slow it's nearly
useless.  Speaking of which, if anyone knows a good converter for TIGER to
MapInfo that supports the 2000 Census data, please let me know.  Even if it
doesn't support the extra year 2000 files, it may work for my needs.
 
Thanks,
Dan Martin

[warmerdam]

Review for GDAL 1.2.0 release.

[warmerdam]

I have tested, and backslashes are just fine on windows in the path.  However,
I see that a trailing slash or backslash does not work.  It is possible
Dan was right at the time he reported this bug, but that it was since fixed.
Not sure.