[Tutor] Monitor directory Python3 script

[Cameron Simpson]

On 13Nov2019 09:58, Nathan D'Elboux <nathan.delboux at gmail.com> wrote:
>Im a student learning Python3. i have a small script id like to make
>that would monitor some subdirectories for any new files that are
>placed in there and move them to another directory on the same
>partition
>
>Im looking around for modules to use and came across shutil. This
>seems ok at first but seems more for batch processing so copy files
>from dir1 to dir2 every time cron runs which could lead to the same
>file being copied.

You make a point of saying "on the same partition" (which I'll take to 
imply on the same filesystem). So you can just rename (mv) things 
instead of copying them; very fast.

shutil is overkill for that, just use os.rename.

>Im thinking if i used pyinotify to monitor the
>directory then only newly added files would be copied and not
>everything before it every time it copies.

If you know you're on Linux that is reasonable. Again, possibly 
overkill.

Personally, I'd just have a loop while ran os.listdir on your target 
directory with a 1 second sleep between loops. Notice anything new, move 
it. You can keep a set() of names representing the "old" stuff, not to 
be moved.

So for me: os.listdir, os.rename, os.path.{basename,dirname,join} would 
cover everything required. And time.sleep for a short end of loop pause.

Cheers,
Cameron Simpson <cs at cskk.id.au>