w3resource

Python: Get a directory listing sorted by creation date

Python Basic: Exercise-71 with Solution

Write a Python program to get a directory listing, sorted by creation date.

Sample Solution-1:

Python Code:

# Import necessary modules: 'stat' for file status, 'os' for operating system interactions,
# 'sys' for command-line arguments, and 'time' for time-related functions.
from stat import S_ISREG, ST_CTIME, ST_MODE
import os, sys, time
# Determine the directory path based on command-line arguments. If there are two arguments, use the second one as the path; otherwise, use the current directory.
dir_path = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) == 2 else r'.'
# Generate a generator expression that yields the full path for each file in the specified directory.
data = (os.path.join(dir_path, fn) for fn in os.listdir(dir_path))
# Generate a generator expression that pairs the file's status information and its path.
data = ((os.stat(path), path) for path in data)
# Filter the files to keep only regular files (S_ISREG) and extract their creation times (ST_CTIME).
data = ((stat[ST_CTIME], path) for stat, path in data if S_ISREG(stat[ST_MODE]))
# Sort the files based on their creation times and then print the sorted list, including the creation time and the file name.
for cdate, path in sorted(data):
    print(time.ctime(cdate), os.path.basename(path)) 

Sample Output:

Mon Feb 22 16:11:49 2016 .bash_logout                                                                         
Mon Feb 22 16:11:49 2016 .bashrc                                                                              
Mon Feb 22 16:11:49 2016 .profile                                                                             
Mon May 30 11:45:34 2016 .mysql_history                                                                       
Sat Aug 13 11:37:48 2016 logging_example.out                                                                  
Tue Sep 13 10:56:31 2016 result.txt                                                                           
Tue Sep 20 18:00:14 2016 dddd.txt        
-------
Tue Apr 18 15:06:27 2017 abc.txt                                                                              
Wed Apr 19 13:46:47 2017 .bash_history                                                                        
Wed Apr 19 15:15:52 2017 test.txt                                                                             
Wed Apr 19 16:58:20 2017 4ab8fe20-24f3-11e7-afe4-85767fd0ee52.py  

Flowchart:

Flowchart: Get a directory listing sorted by creation date.

Sample Solution-2:

Python Code:

# Import the required modules: 'os' for operating system interactions and 'time' for time-related functions.
import os
import time

# Create a list 'paths' by iterating through files in the current directory and formatting their creation time and file name.
# The list comprehension generates tuples with the creation time and file name for each file.
paths = ["%s %s" % (time.ctime(t), f) for t, f in sorted([(os.path.getctime(x), x) for x in os.listdir(".")])]

# Print a header for the directory listing.
print("Directory listing, sorted by creation date:")

# Iterate through the list 'paths' and print each entry.
for x in range(len(paths)):
    print(paths[x],)

Sample Output:

Directory listing, sorted by creation date:
Mon May 31 13:29:45 2021 main.py 

Flowchart:

Flowchart: Get a directory listing sorted by creation date.

Python Code Editor:

 

Previous: Write a Python program to sort files by date.
Next: Write a Python program to get the details of math module.

What is the difficulty level of this exercise?

Test your Programming skills with w3resource's quiz.



Become a Patron!

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for latest update.

It will be nice if you may share this link in any developer community or anywhere else, from where other developers may find this content. Thanks.

https://198.211.115.131/python-exercises/python-basic-exercise-71.php