Python: copy folder content recursively

Question

I want to copy the content of a folder recursively without copying files that already exist. Also, the destination Folder already exists and contains files. I tried to use shutils.copytree(source_folder, destination_folder), but it does not do what I want.

I want it to work like this:

Before:

• source_folder
  • sub_folder_1
    • foo
    • bar
  • sub_folder_2

---

• destination_folder
  • folder_that_was_already_there
    • file2.jpeg
  • some_file.txt
  • sub_folder_1
    • foo

After:

• destination_folder
  • folder_that_was_already_there
    • file2.jpeg
  • some_file.txt
  • sub_folder_1
    • foo
    • bar
  • sub_folder_2

Answer 1

I found the answer with the help of tdelaney:
source_folder is the path to the source and destination_folder the path to the destination.

import os
import shutil

def copyrecursively(source_folder, destination_folder):
for root, dirs, files in os.walk(source_folder):
    for item in files:
        src_path = os.path.join(root, item)
        dst_path = os.path.join(destination_folder, src_path.replace(source_folder, ""))
        if os.path.exists(dst_path):
            if os.stat(src_path).st_mtime > os.stat(dst_path).st_mtime:
                shutil.copy2(src_path, dst_path)
        else:
            shutil.copy2(src_path, dst_path)
    for item in dirs:
        src_path = os.path.join(root, item)
        dst_path = os.path.join(destination_folder, src_path.replace(source_folder, ""))
        if not os.path.exists(dst_path):
            os.mkdir(dst_path)

Answer 2

Have you looked at distutils.dir_util.copy_tree()? The update parameter is defaulted to 0 but it seems like you'd want 1, which would only copy if files don't exist at the destination or are older. I don't see any requirement in your question that copy_tree() won't cover.