How to exclude ".DS_Store" path when compressing files in Python

Question

I have a python script that compresses specific files into a zip file. However I have noticed that a file ".DS_Store" is produced within this zip file. Is there a way I can remove this from the zip file or avoid it being created in the first place in my python script. From what I have found online I think on a windows machine this hidden file appears as "macosx" file.

I've tested the zip file with and without the ".DS_Store" hidden file (I manually deleted it). When I remove it, the zip file is able to be processed correctly and when I leave it in, errors are thrown.

This is how I create the zip file in my python script:

    #Create zip file of all necessary files
    zipf = zipfile.ZipFile(new_path+zip_file_name, 'w', zipfile.ZIP_DEFLATED)
    create_zip(new_path,zipf)
    zipf.close()

Any advice how to approach removing this hidden file would be appreciated.

Are you running the script on a Mac? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.DS_Store — Tim Pietzcker, May 04 '16 at 14:26
@TimPietzcker Yes I am, but the zip is being processed on a separate system that throws errors when it detects the ".DS_Store" for some reason — Catherine, May 04 '16 at 14:29
What errors does it throw? Windows should just restore the file. — cdarke, May 04 '16 at 14:50
This may help: http://superuser.com/questions/198569/compressing-folders-on-a-mac-without-the-ds-store. — Quinn, May 04 '16 at 15:24

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered May 04 '16 at 14:35

Your code uses a function, create_zip, but you haven't shared the code of that function. Presumably, it loops through the contents of a directory and calls the .write method of the ZipFile instance in order to write each file into the archive. If this is the case, just add some logic to that function to exclude any files called .DS_Store.

def create_zip(path, zipfile):
    files = os.listdir(path)
    for file in files:
        if file != '.DS_Store':
            zipfile.write(file)

Or any hidden file: `if not file.startswith('.'):` – jonrsharpe May 04 '16 at 14:37 — jonrsharpe, May 04 '16 at 14:37

How to exclude ".DS_Store" path when compressing files in Python

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