Automating File Printing and Copying with Python: A Simple Workflow

Managing large numbers of files often involves repetitive tasks like printing and organizing copies. This Python script automates the process by identifying files in a designated folder, sending them to the printer, copying them to a new directory, and maintaining a log of operations.

Script Overview

The script performs the following tasks:

1. Identify Files for Processing: It scans a specific input folder for files that haven’t been copied yet.
2. Print Files Automatically: Each file is sent directly to the printer.
3. Copy Files to a Processed Folder: After printing, the file is copied to a designated folder to track its status.
4. Log the Operation: Each operation is logged with a timestamp, providing a record of processed files.

Code Breakdown

1. Setting Up Paths and File Lists

The script first identifies the current script’s directory and defines paths for the input folder, processed files folder, and the log file.

import os
import sys
import shutil
from datetime import datetime

path = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(sys.argv[0])) 
pathInput = os.path.join(path, "INPUT")
inpFiles = os.listdir(pathInput) 
inpFiles = [x for x in inpFiles if not x.endswith(".zip")]
pathCopied = os.path.join(path, "KOPIER_GEDRUCKT")
inpCopied = os.listdir(pathCopied) 
inpCopied = [x for x in inpCopied if not x.endswith(".zip")]

• pathInput: Directory containing files to process.
• pathCopied: Directory where printed and copied files will be stored.
• The script filters out any .zip files to only work with relevant data.

2. Reading the Log File

The script reads from a log file (log.txt) to track which files have been processed. It ensures that the script won’t attempt to process files that have already been copied.

fnLog = os.path.join(path, "log.txt")
with open(fnLog, encoding="mac_roman", errors="ignore") as f:
  inpLog = f.read().splitlines()

3. Processing Files

The script loops through each file in the input folder. If a file hasn’t already been copied, it triggers the printing and copying operations.

for workFile in inpFiles:
  if workFile in inpCopied:
    continue
  print(f"Working for {workFile} in INPUT-folder")
  
  src = os.path.join(path, "INPUT", workFile)
  os.startfile(src, "print")    
  dst = os.path.join(path, "KOPIER_GEDRUCKT", workFile)
  shutil.copyfile(src, dst)

• Printing: os.startfile(src, "print") sends the file to the default printer.
• Copying: shutil.copyfile() copies the file to the KOPIER_GEDRUCKT directory to ensure it isn’t processed again.

4. Logging the Processed Files

Each time a file is printed and copied, the script logs this action with a timestamp to track the operation.

ow = datetime.now().strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")  
inpLog.append(f"{now} Copied and printed {workFile}")

5. Updating the Log File

Finally, the script writes the updated log back to the file, ensuring the records are persistent for the next time the script runs.

inpLog = [f"{x}\n" for x in inpLog]
with open(fnLog, "w", encoding="mac_roman", errors="ignore") as f:
  f.writelines(inpLog)

Conclusion

This Python script efficiently automates a common workflow involving printing, copying, and tracking files. By eliminating the need for manual intervention, it enhances productivity and ensures a reliable process for managing important documents. This approach is particularly useful for offices or departments that handle large volumes of files and need an automated system to track their status.