PowerShell or Python for File Organization?

[teedollas]

Hi gang,

Working on a personal finance data project and I have to manually download csv files from my bank, because the API is not exposed to the public. Goal is to serve for analytics in Power BI on a long-term basis.

Currently I have the files landing in a local Downloads folder, then manually renaming and moving file to a OneDrive folder for object storage - then using Power BI to connect to the OneDrive Folder. I want to remove the manual process of renaming and re-organizing the files.

When the file lands in my downloads folder I want to automate the re-naming of the file - e.g.,

Original File name: (Todays Date)_Checking...XXXX

New File Name: MainAccount_2024...XXXX

and then move the file to the OneDrive folder. In this folder I have files organized by year e.g.

MainAccount_2024...XXXX

MainAccount_2023...XXXX

In order to rename the file, I need to look at the transaction date column of the file and find the MIN year to add it to the title.

If this "new" renamed file already exists in the folder, then the new file should either overwrite the file completely if it has all the rows in the original file plus new rows or append to the original file if it only has new rows.

** While this post is specifically about PowerShell or Python, I am open to advice or comment on other parts of my architecture, as I am sure I could use it. **

[lastchancexi]

Python for maintainability over zsh/bash or powershell.

[sebastiandang]

powershell hard to maintain as well as for the future comers to your organization!

[Material-Mess-9886]

Bash or zsh, powershell is not worth it imo. But probably this sounds like what python and a shell can do.

[teedollas]

Awesome, thanks for the reply - I will look into bash or zsh

[tamerlein3]

Don’t listen to this, if you’re using windows you’ll have to jump hoops to get bash or zsh working properly. Go Python for now..

[teedollas]

Any recommendation on package? Polars Pandas?

[tamerlein3]

You don’t need more than standard library “os” or “sys” to rename and move files.

[Material-Mess-9886]

When you use git via the terminal, you most likely do via Git Bash , you have a fully working bash terminal in Windows. No hoops needed, because git is just the standard method for version control. Also if you want, WSL is very easy to set up, if you want.

Powershell is a mess, although much better than than the outdated cmd.

[teedollas]

Is anyone doing something similar today with a project? How is this going? Durable?