Automating File Organization with Python and Cron: A Step-by-Step Guide

In this blog post, I’m excited to share my experience of how I automated file organization using Python and Cron. Like many others, I encountered the daunting task of managing numerous files without a proper organizational structure.

Searching for files became time-consuming, and maintaining structure seemed like an insurmountable challenge. Additionally, when attempting to push my specific files to GitHub, the absence of a streamlined organization made the task even more difficult.

However, by creating a Python script to organize the file and scheduling a cronjob, I was able to automate the process. Throughout this post, I’ll guide you through the steps I took, from understanding Python script to setting up the Cron Job.

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Overview

The project is divided into three main parts:

Part 1: Understanding Python Script

The Python script efficiently sorts all my files into separate directories based on their names. It groups the files with the same name into a common folder to streamline my file organization.

Part 2: Scheduling Cronjob

The Cronjob has been scheduled to execute my Python script every day at a scheduled time and after execution, save the console output into a log file.

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Prerequisite

• Linux-based operating system (this guide assumes a Ubuntu 22.04 environment).

• Python (modules used OS, Subprocess)

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Creating Script File

• Open Terminal (in Linux using Ctrl + Alt +T )

• Change the directory to your preferred location using cd /path/to/folder

• Create a new file using touch <file_name>.py

• Give Executable permission to the file using chmod 777 <file_name>.py

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Part 1: Understanding Python Script

• Import modules

  import os
  import subprocess

• Setup target and current directory

  curr_dir = "/path/to/current/directory"
  target_dir = "/path/to/target/directory"

  Note: If your files are in the same directory as your python script you can just use os.getcwd() for the current directory.

• Walkthrough current directory and list files

  for root, dirs, files in os.walk(curr_dir):
      for file_list in files:
  			temp_file = file_list.strip(".cpp")

• Create separate directory for every uniquely named file

  command = f"mkdir {target_dir}/{temp_file}"
  result = subprocess.run(command, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, shell=True, universal_newlines=True)
  print(result.stdout) #for testing the output

• Copy files from current directory to their respective directory

  command1 = f"cp {curr_dir}/{file_list} {target_dir}/{temp_file}/"
  result = subprocess.run(command1, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, shell=True, universal_newlines=True)
  print(result.stdout) #for testing the output

• Setup permissions

  command3 = f"chmod a+rwx {target_dir}/{temp_file}"
  result = subprocess.run(command3, stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
  shell=True, universal_newlines=True)
  print(result.stdout) #for testing the output

• Print current date and time

• This will be used as our log file

  command4 = "date"
  result = subprocess.run(command4, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, shell=True, universal_newlines=True)
  print(result.stdout)

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Script Content

import os
import subprocess

curr_dir = (f"/home/starvader/ashutosh_workspace/cp_ws/codechef/codechef_code")
print(curr_dir)
target_dir = "/home/starvader/ashutosh_workspace/git_ws/github/CPP-Practice/Codechef_Solution"

for root,dirs,files in os.walk(curr_dir):
    for file_list in files:
        temp_file = file_list.strip(".cpp")
        command = (f"mkdir {target_dir}/{temp_file}")
        result = subprocess.run(command, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, shell=True, universal_newlines=True)
        command1 = (f"cp {curr_dir}/{file_list} {target_dir}/{temp_file}/")
        result = subprocess.run(command1, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, shell=True, universal_newlines=True)
        command3 = (f"chmod a+rwx {target_dir}/{temp_file}")
        result = subprocess.run(command3, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, shell=True, universal_newlines=True)     
        
command4 = (f"date")
result = subprocess.run(command4, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, shell=True, universal_newlines=True)     
print(result.stdout)

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Testing Script

To check whether your script is working correctly. Execute :

python -m /path/to/folder/<file_name>.py

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Part 2: Scheduling Cronjob

Understanding Cron and crontab

• Cron: It is a service or utility used for scheduling and automating an execution of a script at a particular time.

• Crontab: It is a file that contains a set of commands which tells when to execute and how many times to execute.

Accessing crontab

• In the terminal, write crontab -e and press Enter

• Select your preferred editor from the options (only for the first time)

Adding cronjob

• Syntax: * * * * * command_to_be_executed

• Explanation: The cron syntax consists of five fields representing minute, hour, day of month, month and day of week respectively. Using appropriate values or wildcards (*), you can specify the desired schedule.

Scheduling Python Script and log file

• Syntax: * * * * * python -u "/path/to/your/script.py" >> /path/to/<file_name>.txt

• Example: 20 17 * * * python -u "/home/starvader/ashutosh_workspace/Project/file_to_folder/script.py" >> /home/starvader/ashutosh_workspace/Project/file_tO_folder/codechef_log.txt

• Exit the editor.

Verifying cronjob

• In the terminal, write crontab -l and press Enter , your cronjob will be visible to you.

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Logfile Output

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Conclusion

By setting up and scheduling the cronjob, the Python script will run automatically every day at the specified time. It will organize files, create folders based on file names, copy files to their respective folders, set appropriate permissionsand store the execution details in a log file. This daily routine simplifies and automates the file organization process, improving efficiency and maintaining an organized file structure.

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Thank you for reading!