Python script to move specific files from one folder to another

Question

I am trying to write a script (python 2.7) that will use a regex to identify specific files in a folder and move them to another folder. When I run the script, however, the source folder is moved to the target folder instead of just the files within it.

import os, shutil, re

src = "C:\\Users\\****\\Desktop\\test1\\"
#src = os.path.join('C:',  os.sep, 'Users','****','Desktop','test1\\')
dst = "C:\\Users\\****\\Desktop\\test2\\"
#dst = os.path.join('C:',  os.sep, 'Users','****','Desktop','test2')

files = os.listdir(src)
#regexCtask = "CTASK"
print files
#regex =re.compile(r'(?<=CTASK:)')


files.sort()

#print src, dst

regex = re.compile('CTASK*')

for f in files:
    if regex.match(f):
        filescr= os.path.join(src, files)
        shutil.move(filesrc,dst) 
        #shutil.move(src,dst)

So basically there are files in "test1" folder that I want to move to "test2", but not all the files, just the ones that contain "CTASK" at the beginning.

The **** in the path is to protect my work username.

Sorry if it is messy, I am still trying a few things out.

os.path.join(src, files) should be generating an exception. (Assuming any files in the source start with "CTAS" plus 0 or more "K" characters, which is probably not what you actually meant it to be looking for.) — glibdud
– glibdud, Commented Jan 26, 2017 at 15:11

Andersson · Accepted Answer · 2017-01-26 15:15:37Z

11

You need to assign path to exact file (f) to filescr variable on each loop iteration, but not path to files (files - is a list!)

Try below code

import os
from os import path
import shutil

src = "C:\\Users\\****\\Desktop\\test1\\"
dst = "C:\\Users\\****\\Desktop\\test2\\"

files = [i for i in os.listdir(src) if i.startswith("CTASK") and path.isfile(path.join(src, i))]
for f in files:
    shutil.copy(path.join(src, f), dst)

answered Jan 26, 2017 at 15:15

Andersson

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6 Comments

iNeedScissors61 Over a year ago

Great, that worked! Could you please explain exactly what the path module does in this instance?

Andersson Over a year ago

path.join() used to path_to_folder + file_name = path_to_file. path.isfile()- just to check that item in listdir(src) is a file, but not a folder- you might remove this condition if needed

iNeedScissors61 Over a year ago

One more quick question. How would I apply this to folders instead of just files? edit: neverimind. path.isdir() is what I needed.

Andersson Over a year ago

Try just to use i for i in os.listdir(src) if not path.isfile(path.join(src, i)) or i for i in os.listdir(src) if path.isdir(path.join(src, i)). This should search for folders only. If you need files as well as folders, just remove this kind of conditions

Andersson Over a year ago

You can simply use if "string" in file_name: ...

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Ganesh Kharad · Accepted Answer · 2019-04-05 10:35:25Z

0

I wanted to move following folders : 1.1,1.2,1.45,1.7 to folder with name '1' I Have posted solution below:

import shutil
import os

src_path = '/home/user/Documents/folder1'
dest_path='/home/user/Documents/folder2/'
source = os.listdir(src_path)

for folder in source :
    #folder = '1.1 -anything'
    newf = folder.split('.')[0] 
#newf is name of new folder where you want to move 
#change Folder name as per yourrequirement

    destination = dest_path+newf
    if not os.path.exists(destination):
        os.makedirs(destination)
    shutil.move(src_path+'/'+folder,destination) #change move to copy if you want to copy insted of moving 
    print 'done moving'

answered Apr 5, 2019 at 10:35

Ganesh Kharad

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