Simple backup script

Question

I haven't done much Python in the past, so I was wondering if you could look over my code and make sure everything is up to snuff?

I know programs that do this exist already, but I am having a challenge with my friend on who can build a simple backup system for our college files.

I have run the code through Pylint and a PEP8 code checker, and fixed the errors it produced.

"""
Basic Python Backup
Nat Zimmermann
"""
# SETTINGS
TIME_FORMAT = '%d-%m-%Y-%H:%M:%S'
MAX_DIRS = 5
import shutil
from datetime import datetime
from os import walk
def get_dirs(dirs):
 """Get all immidiate directories in the current directory"""
 converted_dirs = []
 if len(dirs) > MAX_DIRS:
 test_dir = None
 for test_dir in dirs:
 try:
 app_dir = datetime.strptime(test_dir, TIME_FORMAT)
 converted_dirs.append(app_dir)
 except ValueError:
 print("Directory %s does not match date format, ignoring..."
 % test_dir)
 return converted_dirs
def remove_dirs():
 """Remove the oldest directories"""
 dirs = walk('.').__next__()[1]
 converted_dirs = get_dirs(dirs)
 if converted_dirs:
 try:
 oldest_dir = datetime.strftime(min(converted_dirs), TIME_FORMAT)
 shutil.rmtree(oldest_dir)
 print("Removed old directory %s" % oldest_dir)
 remove_dirs()
 except IOError as error:
 print(error)
def copy_directory():
 """Copiy a given directory to a new directory with the current date"""
 old_directory = input("Directory to copy: ")
 new_directory = datetime.now().strftime(TIME_FORMAT)
 print("Copying...")
 try:
 shutil.copytree(old_directory, new_directory)
 print("Successfully copied files to directory %s" % new_directory)
 except IOError as error:
 print(error)
 copy_directory()
copy_directory()
remove_dirs()

Answer 1

Add following header for *nix users

#!/usr/bin/env python
# ~*~ codding: utf-8 ~*~

Not required variable definition

test_dir = None

Because of loop

for test_dir in dirs:

Use native generator insted

def get_dirs(dirs):
 """Get all immidiate directories in the current directory"""
 if not len(dirs) > MAX_DIRS:
 return []
 for test_dir in dirs:
 try:
 yield datetime.strptime(test_dir, TIME_FORMAT)
 except ValueError:
 print("Directory %s does not match date format, ignoring..."
 % test_dir)

If you will use it like module, add

if __name__ == '__main__':
 copy_directory()
 remove_dirs()

IMHO: don't use direct input with input(), try parse command line instead using sys.argv or with help of some more powerful libraries.

• ntzm: Thanks! I'm only using input() as a temporary measure, because I haven't tested it on my college system so I don't know what the full directory path of the files I want to backup is yet. Any reason you use ~*~ coding: utf-8 ~*~ instead of -*- coding: utf-8 -*-?
• outoftime: Try to tap ~*~ and -*-. Don't you feel that? It's all because of typing speed.
• outoftime: IMHO: and looks better.
• ntzm: Easier on your keyboard, not on mine. (UK layout)