How to create a Python nested dictionary based on a FTP tree of folders

Question

I’m trying to create a dictionary based on a tree of folders located on a FTP server (see image below):

The result I’m looking for is : A primary dictionnary that have secondary dictionnaries (as keys) with some lists (as values).

rootpath = r'C:Users_M92DesktopmyFolder'

dict = {'subfolder1': ['sub-subfolder1', 'sub-subfolder2', 'sub-subfolder3']}, 
       {'subfolder2': ['sub-subfolder1']}, 
       {'subfolder3': ['sub-subfolder1', 'sub-subfolder2']}

I have to precise that the sub-subfolders can eventually have some folders within.
Do you have any suggestions how to reach this kind of operations, please ?

EDIT :

With @Elmatador DeAngel’s suggestion/answer here, we get close enough :

dict = {'subfolder1': {'sub-subfolder1': 'Empty', 'sub-subfolder2': 'Empty', 'sub-subfolder3': 'Empty'},
        'subfolder2': {'sub-subfolder1': 'Empty'},  
        'subfolder3': {'sub-subfolder1': 'Empty', 'sub-subfolder2': 'Empty'}}

Asked By: L'Artiste

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Source

Answer 1

I am aware that you’re looking for a code using FTPlib. I don’t have an FTP server to show tje example, but I can be of some help.

You could use the concept of a recursive function; a function that calls itself.

It’s simple, scan a folder using os.listdir() Then check if it’s a folder, and if it is, then recall the same function to do the same operation and add it to a dictionary.

Here’s a simple example(without an FTP):


import os



dictionary = {}

path = "C:/Users/User/Desktop/SomeFile"

def is_dictionary(path): 

       try:
            os.chdir(path)
            return True
            
       except:
            return False
       
def RecursiveFunc(data, path): 
      
      f = os.listdir(path)
      if f != {}:
       for i in f: 
         if is_dictionary(f"{path}/{i}"):
                if os.listdir(f"{path}/{i}") != []:
                   data[i] = {}
                   RecursiveFunc(data[i], f"{path}/{i}")
                  
                else:
                   data[i] = 'Empty'
     
             
                    
RecursiveFunc(dictionary, path)

print(str(dictionary))

You just gotta do the same with the FTPlib library. You can use FTP.cwd() to move from a dictionary to another, and FTP.nlst() to list all the files in said dictionary, and then call a recursive function to do the same job to the file inside the file.

Output:

{'subfolder1': {'sub-subfolder1': 'Empty', 'sub-subfolder2': 'Empty', 'sub-subfolder3': 'Empty'},
{'subfolder2': {'sub-subfolder1': 'Empty'}, 
{'subfolder3': {'sub-subfolder1': 'Empty', 'sub-subfolder2': 'Empty'}}

EDIT

I wrote a code that almost perfectly resembles the output you desire.

Here it is:


import os

dictionary = []

path = "C:/Users/User/Desktop/MyFolder"

def is_dic(path): 

       try:
            os.chdir(path)
            return True
            
       except:
            return False
       
def RecursiveFunc(data, path): 
      
      f = os.listdir(path)
      index = 0
      for i in f:
          
           if is_dic(f"{path}/{i}"):
               if os.listdir(f"{path}/{i}") == []: 
                          data.append(str(i))
                          
                          
               else:
               
                       data.append({i: []})
                       RecursiveFunc(data[index][i], f"{path}/{i}" )
               
               index += 1               
     
             
                          
                          

                      
RecursiveFunc(dictionary, path)


print(str(dictionary))

Output:

[{'subfolder1': ['sub-subfolder1', 'sub-subfolder2', 'sub-subfolder3']}, 
{'subfolder2': ['sub-subfolder1']}, 
{'subfolder3': ['sub-subfolder1', 'sub-subfolder2']}]

Answered By: Elmatador DeAngel

How to create a Python nested dictionary based on a FTP tree of folders

Question:

EDIT :

Answers: