Python: move a file up one directory

Question

Below is a small test routine which takes a path to a file and moves the file up one directory. I am using the os and shutil modules, is there one module that could perform this task? Is there a more pythonic way of implementing this functionality?

The code below is running on windows, but the best cross-platform solution would be appreciated.

def up_one_directory(path):
    """Move file in path up one directory"""
    head, tail = os.path.split(path)
    try:
        shutil.move(path, os.path.join(os.path.split(head)[0], tail))
    except Exception as ex:
        # report
        pass

score 14 · Accepted Answer · edited Feb 19 '23 at 16:16

14

This is the same as @thierry-lathuille's answer, but without requiring shutil:

p = Path(path).absolute()
parent_dir = p.parents[1]
p.rename(parent_dir / p.name)

edited Feb 19 '23 at 16:16

Neuron

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answered May 16 '18 at 10:08

kepler

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Thought there were issues using rename, but I was incorrect - this worked a treat. – 10SecTom May 16 '18 at 12:12
And note that we need to make sure the new path directory exists. In the case of the parent directory, this is always true. – 0dminnimda Jul 26 '21 at 23:26
1

`Path.rename` does not always work, for example when moving files from one drive to another. So this is NOT "the same" as the linked answer. – Neuron Feb 19 '23 at 16:17

score 6 · Answer 2 · edited Feb 19 '23 at 16:14

6

Since Python 3.4, you can use the pathlib module:

import shutil
from pathlib import Path

    
def up_one_dir(path):
    try:
        # from Python 3.6
        parent_dir = Path(path).parents[1]
        # for Python 3.4/3.5, use str to convert the path to string
        # parent_dir = str(Path(path).parents[1])
        shutil.move(path, parent_dir)
    except IndexError:
        # no upper directory
        pass

edited Feb 19 '23 at 16:14

Neuron

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answered Mar 27 '18 at 12:00

Thierry Lathuille

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I think the os.path.join() would still be needed. "os.path.join(Path(path).parents[1], Path(path).name)" – 10SecTom Mar 27 '18 at 12:36
No, see the doc for [shutil.move](https://docs.python.org/3/library/shutil.html#shutil.move): If the destination is an existing directory, then src is moved inside that directory. – Thierry Lathuille Mar 27 '18 at 12:58
My mistake, it didn't work and seen parent_dir didn't include the file. – 10SecTom Mar 27 '18 at 15:21
Getting the following error: "TypeError: _isdir: illegal type for path parameter" – 10SecTom Mar 27 '18 at 15:22
How do you call it? What version of Python are you using? I have no problem with Python 3.6. – Thierry Lathuille Mar 27 '18 at 15:40
Python 3.5.2 and "up_one_directory("C:\\Users\\SButler\\Desktop\\AF\\AF.c")" – 10SecTom Mar 27 '18 at 15:49
I just updated the answer. Some changes have been made in pathlib and the standard library for 3.6, you must probably convert the Path objects to str with 3.5. – Thierry Lathuille Mar 27 '18 at 15:52

score 0 · Answer 3 · edited Feb 19 '23 at 16:15

0

Use this to move up one directory:

file_path = os.getcwd()
os.chdir("..")
folder_path = os.getcwd()
shutil.copy(file_path, folder_path)

edited Feb 19 '23 at 16:15

Neuron

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answered Mar 27 '18 at 11:32

KnakworstKoning

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I mean to take a physical file and move it from its current directory to the one the next level up. – 10SecTom Mar 27 '18 at 11:36

Python: move a file up one directory

3 Answers3