Python Snippets for Everyday Automation Tasks#

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# Writing to a file
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file_content_write = "This is a line of text.\nAnother line."
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with open("example_output.txt", "w") as file:
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    file.write(file_content_write)
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# Reading from a file
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file_content_read = ""
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with open("example_output.txt", "r") as file:
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    file_content_read = file.read()
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print("File content read:")
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print(file_content_read)

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import os
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# Get the current working directory
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current_directory = os.getcwd()
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print(f"Current Directory: {current_directory}")
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# Construct a file path
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file_name = "my_document.txt"
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full_path = os.path.join(current_directory, "data", file_name) # Creates path like '.../data/my_document.txt'
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print(f"Constructed Path: {full_path}")
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# Check if a path exists
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path_to_check = "example_output.txt" # From snippet 1
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exists = os.path.exists(path_to_check)
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print(f"'{path_to_check}' exists: {exists}")
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# List files and directories in a path
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items_in_current_dir = os.listdir(current_directory)
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print(f"Items in current directory: {items_in_current_dir[:5]}...") # Print first 5

1
import os
2

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# Define the path for the new directory
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new_directory_path = "reports/daily_summary"
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# Create the directory (including any necessary parent directories)
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try:
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    os.makedirs(new_directory_path, exist_ok=True)
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    print(f"Directory '{new_directory_path}' created or already exists.")
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except OSError as e:
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    print(f"Error creating directory {new_directory_path}: {e}")

1
import shutil
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import os
3

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# Create dummy files for demonstration
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if not os.path.exists("source_file.txt"):
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    with open("source_file.txt", "w") as f:
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        f.write("Content to be copied or moved.")
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if not os.path.exists("destination_folder"):
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    os.makedirs("destination_folder")
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# Define source and destination paths
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source_file = "source_file.txt"
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destination_copy = "destination_folder/copied_file.txt"
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destination_move = "destination_folder/moved_file.txt"
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try:
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    # Copy a file
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    shutil.copy2(source_file, destination_copy)
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    print(f"'{source_file}' copied to '{destination_copy}'")
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    # Move a file (note: source_file will be removed after move)
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    # Ensure source file exists for the move demo if copy was run first
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    if os.path.exists(source_file):
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         shutil.move(source_file, destination_move)
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         print(f"'{source_file}' moved to '{destination_move}'")
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    else:
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         print(f"'{source_file}' not found for move operation.")
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except FileNotFoundError:
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    print("Error: Source file or destination directory not found.")
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except Exception as e:
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    print(f"An error occurred: {e}")

1
import glob
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import os
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# Create dummy files for demonstration
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if not os.path.exists("data"):
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    os.makedirs("data")
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with open("data/report_2023.csv", "w") as f: pass
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with open("data/log_2024_01.txt", "w") as f: pass
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with open("data/report_2024.csv", "w") as f: pass
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with open("data/config.ini", "w") as f: pass
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# Find all .csv files in the 'data' directory
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csv_files = glob.glob("data/*.csv")
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print(f"Found CSV files: {csv_files}")
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# Find all files starting with 'log_' in the 'data' directory
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log_files = glob.glob("data/log_*.txt")
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print(f"Found log files: {log_files}")
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# Find all files in 'data' directory (similar to os.listdir, but supports patterns)
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all_data_files = glob.glob("data/*")
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print(f"All files in data: {all_data_files}")

1
import csv
2

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# Sample CSV data (as a string for demo, typically read from a file)
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csv_data = """name,age,city
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Alice,30,New York
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Bob,25,London
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Charlie,35,Paris
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"""
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# Write data to a CSV file
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data_to_write = [
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    ['Product ID', 'Name', 'Price'],
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    ['P101', 'Laptop', '1200'],
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    ['P102', 'Keyboard', '75']
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]
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with open("products.csv", "w", newline="") as csvfile:
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    csv_writer = csv.writer(csvfile)
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    csv_writer.writerows(data_to_write)
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print("Data written to products.csv")
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# Read data from a CSV file
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print("\nReading products.csv:")
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with open("products.csv", "r", newline="") as csvfile:
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    csv_reader = csv.reader(csvfile)
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    for row in csv_reader:
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        print(row)
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# Reading into dictionaries (more useful for headers)
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print("\nReading products.csv as dictionaries:")
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with open("products.csv", "r", newline="") as csvfile:
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     csv_dict_reader = csv.DictReader(csvfile)
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     for row_dict in csv_dict_reader:
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         print(row_dict)

1
import json
2

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# Sample Python dictionary
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data_to_json = {
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    "name": "Example Project",
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    "version": "1.0",
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    "enabled": True,
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    "tags": ["automation", "python"],
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    "config": {"timeout_seconds": 30, "retries": 3}
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}
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# Convert Python dictionary to JSON string
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json_string = json.dumps(data_to_json, indent=4) # indent for readability
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print("Python dict converted to JSON string:")
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print(json_string)
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# Write JSON string to a file
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with open("config.json", "w") as json_file:
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    json.dump(data_to_json, json_file, indent=4)
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print("\nPython dict written to config.json")
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# Read JSON from a string
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json_string_from_api = '{"status": "success", "count": 100, "data": [1, 2, 3]}'
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data_from_json_string = json.loads(json_string_from_api)
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print("\nJSON string converted to Python dict:")
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print(data_from_json_string)
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print(f"Status: {data_from_json_string['status']}")
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# Read JSON from a file
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print("\nReading config.json:")
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with open("config.json", "r") as json_file:
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    data_from_json_file = json.load(json_file)
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print(data_from_json_file)

1
import requests
2

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# Make a simple GET request
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url = "https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts/1" # A public test API
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try:
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    response = requests.get(url)
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    # Check if the request was successful (status code 200)
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    response.raise_for_status() # Raises an HTTPError for bad responses (4xx or 5xx)
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    # Get data as JSON
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    data = response.json()
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    print("GET request successful:")
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    print(f"Status Code: {response.status_code}")
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    print(f"Response Body (JSON): {data}")
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    print(f"Title: {data['title']}")
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except requests.exceptions.RequestException as e:
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    print(f"An error occurred during the HTTP request: {e}")
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# Example POST request (simulated)
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post_url = "https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts"
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new_post_data = {
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    "title": "foo",
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    "body": "bar",
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    "userId": 1
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}
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try:
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    post_response = requests.post(post_url, json=new_post_data) # Use json= for sending JSON data
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    post_response.raise_for_status()
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    created_post = post_response.json()
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    print("\nPOST request successful:")
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    print(f"Status Code: {post_response.status_code}")
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    print(f"Created Resource: {created_post}") # Includes the new ID assigned by the API
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except requests.exceptions.RequestException as e:
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    print(f"An error occurred during the POST request: {e}")

1
import smtplib
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from email.mime.text import MIMEText
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import ssl # For secure connection
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# Email details
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sender_email = "your_email@example.com"  # Replace with your sender email
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receiver_email = "recipient@example.com" # Replace with recipient email
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password = "your_email_password"        # Replace with your email password (use app passwords for security)
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subject = "Automated Report"
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body = "This is an automated email containing the daily report."
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# Create the email message
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message = MIMEText(body)
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message["Subject"] = subject
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message["From"] = sender_email
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message["To"] = receiver_email
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# Connect to SMTP server and send email
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smtp_server = "smtp.gmail.com"  # Replace with your SMTP server address
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port = 465                      # Port for SSL (or 587 for TLS)
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try:
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    # Secure connection with SSL
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    context = ssl.create_default_context()
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    with smtplib.SMTP_SSL(smtp_server, port, context=context) as server:
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        server.login(sender_email, password)
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        server.sendmail(sender_email, receiver_email, message.as_string())
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    print("Email sent successfully!")
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except smtplib.SMTPAuthenticationError:
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    print("Failed to send email: Authentication Error. Check username and password.")
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except ConnectionRefusedError:
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    print("Failed to send email: Connection Refused. Check SMTP server address and port.")
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except Exception as e:
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    print(f"An error occurred while sending email: {e}")
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# NOTE: Sending emails requires correct SMTP server details and credentials.
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# Using app-specific passwords is recommended over using your main password.

1
from datetime import datetime, timedelta, date, time
2

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# Get the current date and time
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now = datetime.now()
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print(f"Current datetime: {now}")
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7
# Get the current date
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today = date.today()
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print(f"Current date: {today}")
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# Create a specific datetime object
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specific_dt = datetime(2024, 3, 10, 14, 30, 0) # Year, month, day, hour, minute, second
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print(f"Specific datetime: {specific_dt}")
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# Format datetime objects into strings
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formatted_dt = now.strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S") # YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS
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print(f"Formatted datetime: {formatted_dt}")
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# Parse strings into datetime objects
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date_string = "2023-12-25"
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parsed_date = datetime.strptime(date_string, "%Y-%m-%d").date()
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print(f"Parsed date string: {parsed_date}")
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# Perform date arithmetic
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tomorrow = today + timedelta(days=1)
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print(f"Tomorrow's date: {tomorrow}")
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yesterday = today - timedelta(days=1)
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print(f"Yesterday's date: {yesterday}")
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one_hour_later = now + timedelta(hours=1)
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print(f"One hour from now: {one_hour_later}")