Using the os module for high-level file operations such as iterating, moving, copying, and deleting files and directories
Tags: python, dataanalysis, programming, tutorial
Published: 2023-12-20 01:48:37

The `os` package in Python provides a wide range of functionalities for interacting with the operating system. One of the most commonly used aspects of this package is its ability to perform file and folder operations such as iteration, deletion, creation, moving, and opening. In this article, we'll explore how to utilize the `os` package for these tasks.

## iterate through all the items within a folder

You can use the `os` package in Python to iterate through all the items within a folder using the `os.listdir()` method. And You can use the `os.path.join` function to concatenate the folder path with each item in the folder to get the absolute path. Here's an example of how to do it:

```python
import os

# Replace 'folder_path' with the path of the folder you want to iterate through
folder_path = 'path_to_folder'

# Iterate through all items in the folder
for item in os.listdir(folder_path):
		print(item) 
		# Get the absolute path of the item
		item_path = os.path.join(folder_path, item) 
		# Display the absolute path of the item
		print(item_path)
		
```
In this example, `os.listdir(folder_path)` returns a list of all the items (files and subfolders) in the specified folder. You can then iterate through this list and perform any operations you need for each item.

Remember to replace `'path_to_folder'` with the actual path of the folder you want to iterate through.


## Deleting Files and Folders

The `os` package provides methods to delete both files and folders. Here's how you can achieve this:

### To delete a file:

```python
import os
os.remove('file_path/file.txt')  # Replace with the actual file path
```

### To delete an empty folder:

```python
import os
os.rmdir('folder_path')  # Replace with the actual folder path

```

### To delete a non-empty folder and all its contents:

```python
import shutil
shutil.rmtree('folder_path')  # Replace with the actual folder path

```

Remember to replace `'file_path/file.txt'` and `'folder_path'` with the actual paths of the file or folder you want to delete. Use these functions with caution as they will permanently delete the specified files or folders.

## Creating Folders

Creating a new folder using the `os` package is straightforward:

```python
import os
os.mkdir('new_folder')  # Replace with the desired folder name

```

## Moving and Renaming Files/Folders

The `os` package allows us to move and rename files and folders as well. Here's an example of moving a file:

```python
import os
os.rename('old_location/file.txt', 'new_location/file.txt')

```

## Opening Files and Folders

You can also open a folder in the default file explorer using the `os` package. For instance, to open a folder in the File Explorer (Windows):

```python
import os
os.startfile('folder_path')  # Replace with the actual folder path

```

## Conclusion

The `os` package in Python offers powerful capabilities for file and folder operations, allowing developers to efficiently manage file system tasks within their applications. By utilizing the methods provided by the `os` package, you can seamlessly iterate, delete, create, move, and open files and folders in your Python programs.

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