Batch copy and standardize naming of video files through Python scripts

1. Problem Scenario: Cluttered Video File Name

In daily work and study, we often encounter file naming situations like this:

• [1] Basic tutorial.mp4
• [23] Advanced skills.mp4
• [156] Project Practical .mp4

Although this naming method that contains numeric numbers is intuitive, there are two obvious problems:

• The number of digits is inconsistent, and the order will be incorrect when sorting
• The file name needs to be modified but the original file must be retained

This article will introduce how to use Python scriptsBatch copy and standardize namingVideo file, implement:

• Automatically fill 4-digit numbers
• Keep the original file without modifying it
• Intelligently identify valid files
• Complete copy file properties

2. Complete solution

import os
import re
import shutil

def rename_and_copy_mp4_files(source_dir, target_dir):
    """Intelligently rename and copy video files
    
    Args:
        source_dir (str): Source directory path
        target_dir (str): Target directory path
    """
    # Create a target directory (automatically handle existing situations)    (target_dir, exist_ok=True)
    
    # traverse all files in the source directory    for filename in (source_dir):
        # Use regular expressions to resolve file names        pattern_match = (r'\[(\d+)\](.+)\.(mp4|avi|mov)$', filename, )
        
        if pattern_match:
            # Extract filename component            file_number = pattern_match.group(1)
            file_content = pattern_match.group(2).strip()
            file_ext = pattern_match.group(3).lower()
            
            # Format number (4 digits to make up for zeros)            formatted_number = file_number.zfill(4)
            
            # Build a new file name            new_filename = f"{formatted_number}_{file_content}.{file_ext}"
            
            # Build a full path            src_path = (source_dir, filename)
            dst_path = (target_dir, new_filename)
            
            # Perform a copy operation with metadata            shutil.copy2(src_path, dst_path)
            print(f"Successfully processed：{filename} → {new_filename}")
        else:
            print(f"Skip non-standard files：{filename}")

if __name__ == "__main__":
    # Configure path (modify according to actual situation)    SOURCE_DIR = r"E:\video_source"
    TARGET_DIR = r"E:\video_organized"
    
    rename_and_copy_mp4_files(SOURCE_DIR, TARGET_DIR)

3. Key technologies analysis

1. Intelligent path processing

(target_dir, exist_ok=True)

exist_ok=TrueParameters ensure:

• Automatically create when the target directory does not exist
• No error is reported when the directory already exists
• Automatically handle multi-level directory creation

2. Accurate file name matching

r'\[(\d+)\](.+)\.(mp4|avi|mov)$'

Regular expression decomposition:

• \[(\d+)\] Capture the numbers in square brackets
• (.+) Capture content of any length (at least 1 character)
• (mp4|avi|mov)$ supports multiple video formats
• Ignore case

Support matching formats:

• [123] Tutorial.mp4
• [45]
• [6] Test file.AVI

3. Digital formatting

file_number.zfill(4)

Conversion example:

• “1” → “0001”
• “23” → “0023”
• “156” → “0156”

4. Secure file copying

shutil.copy2(src, dst)

Differences from normal copying:

• Keep original creation time
• Keep the last modification time
• Keep file permission settings
• Keep other metadata

4. Usage Guide

Preparation steps

• Install Python 3.6+ environment
• Create script filevideo_organizer.py
• Prepare the test directory (it is recommended to conduct tests first)

Configuration example

# Windows system exampleSOURCE_DIR = r"E:\training_videos"
TARGET_DIR = r"D:\sorted_videos"

# macOS/Linux example# SOURCE_DIR = "/Users/username/Videos/source"
# TARGET_DIR = "/Volumes/external_drive/sorted_videos"

Execution effect

V. Advanced extension suggestions

1. Add progress prompts

# Add before the loop startstotal_files = len([f for f in (source_dir) if (('.mp4', '.avi', '.mov'))])
processed = 0

# Add when processing is successfulprocessed += 1
print(f"schedule：{processed}/{total_files} ({processed/total_files:.1%})")

2. Protection against coverage mechanism

if (dst_path):
    base, ext = (new_filename)
    counter = 1
    while (dst_path):
        new_filename = f"{base}_{counter}{ext}"
        dst_path = (target_dir, new_filename)
        counter += 1

3. Multithreaded acceleration

from  import ThreadPoolExecutor

def process_file(filename):
    # Original processing logic
with ThreadPoolExecutor(max_workers=4) as executor:
    (process_file, (source_dir))

6. Things to note

1. Path format verification
   • Use backslashes for Windows pathsr"E:\path"
   • Other systems use forward slashes"/path/to/files"

2. Permissions issues
   • Ensure read permissions to the source directory
   • Ensure write permissions to the target directory

3. Special character processing
   • Automatically skip files containing illegal characters
   • Add character filtering logic:

file_content = (r'[<>:"/\\|?*]', '', file_content)

1. Performance optimization
   • It is recommended to add files above 10,000:
   ◦ Progress bar display
   ◦ Error logging
   ◦ Breakpoint continuous transmission function

7. Summary

Through this Python script, we implement:

• Batch processing of video files
• Intelligent specification numbering format
• Safely retain original files
• Quick deployment and use

Extended application scenarios：

• Organize teaching video library
• Standardize surveillance video archives
• Manage stock resources
• Automatic test video processing

TIP: It is recommended to combine this script with timing tasks to create an automated file management system. Welcome to share your experience or make suggestions for improvement in the comment section!

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