Shutil module in Python provides many functions of high-level operations on files and collections of files. It comes under Python’s standard utility modules. This module helps in automating the process of copying and removal of files and directories.
What is shutil.copyfile() method in Python
The shutil.copyfile() method in Python is used to copy the content of the source file to the destination file. The metadata of the file is not copied. Source and destination must represent a file and destination must be writable. If the destination already exists then it will be replaced with the source file otherwise a new file will be created.
If source and destination represent the same file then the SameFileError exception will be raised.
Syntax of shutil.copyfile() method in Python
Syntax: shutil.copyfile(source, destination, *, follow_symlinks = True)
Parameter:
- source: A string representing the path of the source file.
- destination: A string representing the path of the destination file.
- follow_symlinks (optional) : The default value of this parameter is True. If False and source represents a symbolic link then a new symbolic link will be created instead of copying the file.
Note: The ‘*’ in parameter list indicates that all following parameters (Here in our case ‘follow_symlinks’) are keyword-only parameters and they can be provided using their name, not as positional parameter.
Return Type: This method returns a string which represents the path of newly created file.
Example 1: Use of shutil.copyfile() method to copy a file from source to destination
Python3
# Python program to explain shutil.copyfile() method# importing os moduleimport os# importing shutil moduleimport shutil# pathpath = '/home/User/Documents'# List files and directories# in '/home/User/Documents'print("Before copying file:")print(os.listdir(path))# Source pathsource = "/home/User/Documents/file.txt"# Destination pathdestination = "/home/User/Documents/file(copy).txt"# Copy the content of# source to destinationdest = shutil.copyfile(source, destination)# List files and directories# in "/home / User / Documents"print("After copying file:")print(os.listdir(path))# Print path of newly# created fileprint("Destination path:", dest) |
Output:
Before copying file: ['hrithik.png', 'test.py', 'sample.txt', 'file.text', 'copy.cpp'] After copying file: ['hrithik.png', 'test.py', 'sample.txt', 'file.text', 'file(copy).txt', 'copy.cpp'] Destination path: /home/User/Documents/file(copy).txt
Example 2: Possible errors while using shutil.copyfile() method
If the source and destination represent the same file ‘SameFileError’ exception will be raised If the destination is a directory then ‘IsADirectoryError’ exception will be raised If the destination is not writable ‘PermissionError’ exception will be raised
Python3
# Python program to explain shutil.copyfile() method# importing shutil moduleimport shutil# Source pathsource = "/home/User/Documents/file.txt"# Destination pathdestination = "/home/User/Documents/file.txt"# Copy the content of# source to destinationshutil.copyfile(source, destination) |
Output:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "copy.py", line 31, in
shutil.copyfile(source, destination)
File "/usr/lib/python3.6/shutil.py", line 104, in copyfile
raise SameFileError("{!r} and {!r} are the same file".format(src, dst))
shutil.SameFileError: '/home/User/Documents/file.txt' and '/home/User/Documents/file.txt'
are the same file
Destination path: /home/User/Documents/file(copy).txt
Example 3: Handling errors while using shutil.copyfile() method
Python3
# Python program to explain shutil.copyfile() method# importing shutil moduleimport shutil# Source pathsource = "/home/User/Documents/file.txt"# Destination pathdestination = "/home/User/Documents"# Copy the content of# source to destinationtry: shutil.copyfile(source, destination) print("File copied successfully.")# If source and destination are sameexcept shutil.SameFileError: print("Source and destination represents the same file.")# If destination is a directory.except IsADirectoryError: print("Destination is a directory.")# If there is any permission issueexcept PermissionError: print("Permission denied.")# For other errorsexcept: print("Error occurred while copying file.") |
Output:
Destination is a directory.
