Python copy files script

Question

I built a script in Python to copy any files from a list of folders to a destination folder already made.

source = ['c:/test/source/', ]
destination = 'c:/test/destination/'

def copy(source, destination):

    import os, shutil

    try:
        for folder in source:
            files = os.listdir(folder)

            for file in files:
                current_file = os.path.join(folder, file)
                shutil.copy(os.path.join(folder, file), destination)

    except:
         pass

The problem with this script is that it didn't copy the sub folders. Any suggestion to fix it ?

Thanks

Monty _s Flying Circus · Accepted Answer · 2020-01-31 00:54:41Z

2

I think you need to use shutil.copytree

shutil.copytree(os.path.join(folder, file), destination)

but shutil.copytree won't overwrite if folder exist, if you want to overwrite all, use distutils.dir_util.copy_tree

from distutils import dir_util
dir_util.copy_tree(os.path.join(folder, file), destination)

edited Jan 31, 2020 at 0:54

Monty _s Flying Circus

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answered Jun 14, 2018 at 14:17

Druta Ruslan

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6 Comments

GrandGTO Over a year ago

Yes it is almost working, but still another problem. Indeed the script told me that there already is a folder named 'destination'. What I want is to force the copy of folders, files and subfolders if they already exists.

GrandGTO Over a year ago

Yes it overrides all files. But ther is a last issue ! :) The sub folder is not created... And so I have this kind of error : distutils.errors.DistutilsFileError: could not create 'c:/test/destination\Nouveau dossier\Nouveau document texte (2).txt': No such file or directory

GrandGTO Over a year ago

I have to create myself the sub folder to get it work. Any solution ?

Druta Ruslan Over a year ago

what do you mean the sub folder ? for example if you have folder name1 and you what to copy the folder name1 to folder name2 but you don't have the name2 folder it will create it, but if you don't have name1 it will raise DistutilsFileError you need to have name1 folder

GrandGTO Over a year ago

In the source folder, I have files and others folders which contains other files and other folders maybe. So I want to copy everything in a destination folder. However if I have 'c:/test/source/subfolder/file.txt' and if my destination folder exists but is empty, so there is an error.

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