Welcome to the Treehouse Community

Want to collaborate on code errors? Have bugs you need feedback on? Looking for an extra set of eyes on your latest project? Get support with fellow developers, designers, and programmers of all backgrounds and skill levels here with the Treehouse Community! While you're at it, check out some resources Treehouse students have shared here.

Looking to learn something new?

Treehouse offers a seven day free trial for new students. Get access to thousands of hours of content and join thousands of Treehouse students and alumni in the community today.

Start your free trial

Python Python for File Systems Manipulation Purging

Albert Egberg
Albert Egberg
7,786 Points
Posted by Albert Egberg
Albert Egberg
7,786 Points

Can someone explain to me what I am doing wrong with my code?

I don't fully understand the things I am using: like os.scandir.

here's the question: Make a function named delete_by_date. It should take date string like 2015-10-31 and delete any files in the "backups" local directory that have that date in their filename. Just like the last challenge, the files will be named in the format "year-month-day-username.extension".

purging.py 
import re
import os

def delete_by_date(str_date):
    for file in os.scandir("backups"):
        if str_date == re.search(r'\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}', file):
            os.remove(file.path)

1 Answer

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,269 Points
Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,269 Points

I noticed these issues:

  • the "file" can't be searched with a regex, you probably meant to use "file.path"
  • a re.search returns a match object which would not compare with a string
  • the "group" method could be used to extract the matching string from the object
  • this task could also be done without regex using string operations
Albert Egberg
Albert Egberg
7,786 Points
Albert Egberg
Albert Egberg
7,786 Points

Thank you, Parker! :)