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Python Python for File Systems Manipulation Purging

Albert Egberg
Albert Egberg
7,786 Points
Posted by Albert Egberg
Albert Egberg
7,786 Points

Can someone explain to me what I am doing wrong with my code?

I don't fully understand the things I am using: like os.scandir.

here's the question: Make a function named delete_by_date. It should take date string like 2015-10-31 and delete any files in the "backups" local directory that have that date in their filename. Just like the last challenge, the files will be named in the format "year-month-day-username.extension".

purging.py 
import re
import os

def delete_by_date(str_date):
    for file in os.scandir("backups"):
        if str_date == re.search(r'\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}', file):
            os.remove(file.path)

1 Answer

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,275 Points
Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,275 Points

I noticed these issues:

  • the "file" can't be searched with a regex, you probably meant to use "file.path"
  • a re.search returns a match object which would not compare with a string
  • the "group" method could be used to extract the matching string from the object
  • this task could also be done without regex using string operations
Albert Egberg
Albert Egberg
7,786 Points
Albert Egberg
Albert Egberg
7,786 Points

Thank you, Parker! :)