Скачать или смотреть How to Find the Latest Timestamp File in a Directory Using Python

A step-by-step guide to retrieve the file with the latest timestamp in a directory using Python. Learn how to filter filenames and open them as a DataFrame using pandas!
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How to Find the Latest Timestamp File in a Directory Using Python

Are you struggling to find the file with the latest timestamp in a directory using Python? If so, you’re not alone! Many developers encounter this challenge, particularly when handling numerous files that vary by date. In this guide, we will walk through how you can efficiently locate the file with the latest timestamp and then load it into a pandas DataFrame for further analysis.

The Scenario

Imagine you have a directory containing multiple files with names formatted like this:

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In this case, you want to retrieve the filename Test1_2021-05-17 1139.xlsx, which has the most recent date. Let’s break down how to achieve this step-by-step.

Steps to Find the Latest Timestamp File

1. Import Required Libraries

First, ensure that you import the necessary Python libraries. You will need pathlib, os, and pandas:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

2. Use pathlib to Filter Files

Next, you can use the pathlib library to filter the files based on their names. In the example, we will look for files that start with "Test_" and have an .xlsx extension. This helps narrow down the results so you only analyze relevant files.

3. Retrieve the Latest File

You can apply the max function with a custom key to find the latest file by its creation time. Here's how to do that:

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In this line of code:

pathlib.Path('/path').glob('Test_*.xlsx') retrieves all files that match the specified pattern in the given directory.

The max function selects the file with the highest creation timestamp based on os.path.getctime.

4. Load the File into a DataFrame

Now that you have the filename with the latest timestamp, you can easily load it into a pandas DataFrame for further data manipulation or analysis:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Complete Code Example

Putting it all together, here’s a complete code snippet:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Conclusion

Finding the file with the latest timestamp in a directory isn’t as daunting as it may seem. By filtering files with pathlib, retrieving the latest file using the max function, and loading it into a DataFrame, you can streamline your workflow efficiently.

Feel free to modify the path and filename conditions to fit your specific needs. Happy coding!