In this article we will discuss how to copy files from one directory to another using shutil.copy().

shutil.copy()

Python’s shutil module provides a function shutil.copy() i.e.

shutil.copy(src, dst, *, follow_symlinks=True)

It copies the file pointed by src to the directory pointed by dst.

Parameters:

  • src is the file path in string
  • dst can be a directory path or another file path in string.
  • If src is a path of symbolic link,
    • If follow_symlinks is True, then it will copy the file pointed by symbolic link.
    • If follow_symlinks is False, then it create a new similar symbolic link in dst directory.

Returns :

  • It returns the path string of the newly created file.

Module Required,

import shutil

Let’s use this function to copy files,

Copy a file to other Directory

newPath = shutil.copy('sample1.txt', '/home/varun/test')

It will copy the file ‘sample1.txt’ to the directory ‘/home/varung/test’ and returns the path of newly created file i.e.
/home/varung/test/sample1.txt

Some Important Points:

  • If Destination directory already has a file with same name then it will be overwritten.
  • If there is no directory with name test inside /home/varung then it will copy the source file inside /home/varun with name test.
  • If the destination path is not valid i.e. any intermediate directory does not exist then it will give error i.e.
    • FileNotFoundError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 

Copy a File to other directory with new name

#Copy a file with new name
newPath = shutil.copy('sample1.txt', '/home/varung/test/sample2.txt')

It will copy the file file sample1.txt to another location with name sample2.txt.

Some Important Points:

  • If Destination file already exists then it will be overwritten.
  • If the destination path is not valid i.e. any intermediate directory does not exist then it will give error i.e.
    • FileNotFoundError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 

Copy symbolic links using shutil.copy()

Suppose we a symbolic link link.csv that points to sample.csv i.e.

link.csv -> sample.csv

Let’s copy symbolic link using shutil.copy() i.e.
shutil.copy(src, dst, *, follow_symlinks=True)

By default follow_symlinks is True i.e. it will copy the target file pointed by source link to the destination director.
newPath = shutil.copy('/home/varung/test/link.csv', '/home/varung/test/sample2.csv')

Contents of newPath will be,
/home/varung/test/sample2.csv

sample2.csv is not a link but actual copy of sample1.csv ( file pointed by link.csv)

If follow_symlinks is False i.e.

newPath = shutil.copy('/home/varung/test/link.csv', '/home/varung/test/newlink.csv', follow_symlinks=False)

It will copy the symbolic link i.e. newlink.csv will be a link pointing to same target file sample1.csv i.e.
newlink.csv -> sample1.txt

If symbolic link is broken i.e. target file doesn’t exists then it will give error,
FileNotFoundError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory

Complete example is as follows,

import shutil

def main():

    # Copy file to another directory
    newPath = shutil.copy('sample1.txt', '/home/varung/test')

    print("Path of copied file : ", newPath)

    #Copy a file with new name
    newPath = shutil.copy('sample1.txt', '/home/varung/test/sample2.txt')

    print("Path of copied file : ", newPath)

    # Copy a symbolic link as a new link
    newPath = shutil.copy('/home/varung/test/link.csv', '/home/varung/test/sample2.csv')

    print("Path of copied file : ", newPath)

    # Copy target file pointed by symbolic link
    newPath = shutil.copy('/home/varung/test/link.csv', '/home/varung/test/newlink.csv', follow_symlinks=False)

    print("Path of copied file : ", newPath)


if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()

Output:
Path of copied file :  /home/varung/test/sample1.txt
Path of copied file :  /home/varung/test/sample2.txt
Path of copied file :  /home/varung/test/sample2.csv
Path of copied file :  /home/varung/test/newlink.csv

 

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