The simplest solution is to make use

of os.listdir & random.choice methods

random_file=random.choice(os.listdir("Folder_Destination"))

Let's take a look at it step by step :-

1} os.listdir method returns the list containing the name of entries (files)

in the path specified.

2} This list is then passed as a parameter to random.choice method

which returns a random file name from the list.

3} The file name is stored in random_file variable.

Considering a real time application

Here's a sample python code which will move random files from one
directory to another

import os, random, shutil

#Prompting user to enter number of files to select randomly along with directory
source=input("Enter the Source Directory : ")
dest=input("Enter the Destination Directory : ")
no_of_files=int(input("Enter The Number of Files To Select : "))

print("%"*25+"{ Details Of Transfer }"+"%"*25)

print("\n\nList of Files Moved to %s :-"%(dest))

#Using for loop to randomly choose multiple files

for i in range(no_of_files):
#Variable random_file stores the name of the random file chosen
random_file=random.choice(os.listdir(source))
print("%d} %s"%(i+1,random_file))
source_file="%s\%s"%(source,random_file)
dest_file=dest
#"shutil.move" function moves file from one directory to another
 shutil.move(source_file,dest_file)

print("\n\n"+"$"*33+"[ Files Moved Successfully ]"+"$"*33)

You can check out the whole project on github Random File Picker

For addition reference about os.listdir & random.choice method you

can refer to tutorialspoint learn python

os.listdir :- Python listdir() method

random.choice :- Python choice() method

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edited Oct 31 '18 at 4:57

answered Oct 1 '18 at 7:22

THE_PHOENIX_777_TDW
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Language agnostic solution:

1) Get the total no. of files in specified directory.

2) Pick a random number from 0 to [total no. of files - 1].

3) Get the list of filenames as a suitably indexed collection or such.

4) Pick the nth element, where n is the random number.

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answered Mar 31 '09 at 15:04

karim79
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Similarly language-agnostic: get the list of files in the directory, and pick one
by random. – Elazar May 7 '20 at 13:31




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Independant from the language used, you can read all references to the
files in a directory into a datastructure like an array (something like
'listFiles'), get the length of the array. calculate a random number in the
range of '0' to 'arrayLength-1' and access the file at the certain index.
This should work, not only in python.

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answered Mar 31 '09 at 15:01

Mork0075
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If you don't know before hand what files are there, you will need to get a
list, then just pick a random index in the list.

Here's one attempt:

import os
import random

def getRandomFile(path):
"""
Returns a random filename, chosen among the files of the given path.
"""
files = os.listdir(path)
index = random.randrange(0, len(files))
return files[index]
EDIT: The question now mentions a fear of a "race condition", which I
can only assume is the typical problem of files being added/removed
while you are in the process of trying to pick a random file.

I don't believe there is a way around that, other t

The simplest solution is to make use

of os.listdir & random.choice methods

random_file=random.choice(os.listdir("Folder_Destination"))

Let's take a look at it step by step :-

1} os.listdir method returns the list containing the name of entries (files)
in the path specified.

2} This list is then passed as a parameter to random.choice method

which returns a random file name from the list.

3} The file name is stored in random_file variable.

Considering a real time application

Here's a sample python code which will move random files from one
directory to another

import os, random, shutil

#Prompting user to enter number of files to select randomly along with directory
source=input("Enter the Source Directory : ")
dest=input("Enter the Destination Directory : ")
no_of_files=int(input("Enter The Number of Files To Select : "))

print("%"*25+"{ Details Of Transfer }"+"%"*25)

print("\n\nList of Files Moved to %s :-"%(dest))

#Using for loop to randomly choose multiple files

for i in range(no_of_files):
#Variable random_file stores the name of the random file chosen
random_file=random.choice(os.listdir(source))
print("%d} %s"%(i+1,random_file))
source_file="%s\%s"%(source,random_file)
dest_file=dest
#"shutil.move" function moves file from one directory to another
shutil.move(source_file,dest_file)

print("\n\n"+"$"*33+"[ Files Moved Successfully ]"+"$"*33)

You can check out the whole project on github Random File Picker
For addition reference about os.listdir & random.choice method you
can refer to tutorialspoint learn python

os.listdir :- Python listdir() method

random.choice :- Python choice() method

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edited Oct 31 '18 at 4:57

answered Oct 1 '18 at 7:22

THE_PHOENIX_777_TDW
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Add a comment

Language agnostic solution:

1) Get the total no. of files in specified directory.

2) Pick a random number from 0 to [total no. of files - 1].

3) Get the list of filenames as a suitably indexed collection or such.

4) Pick the nth element, where n is the random number.

Share
Improve this answer
Follow

answered Mar 31 '09 at 15:04

karim79
328k64
64 gold badges
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402
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• 1

Similarly language-agnostic: get the list of files in the directory, and pick one
by random. – Elazar May 7 '20 at 13:31




Add a comment

Independant from the language used, you can read all references to the
files in a directory into a datastructure like an array (something like
'listFiles'), get the length of the array. calculate a random number in the
range of '0' to 'arrayLength-1' and access the file at the certain index.
This should work, not only in python.

Share
Improve this answer
Follow

answered Mar 31 '09 at 15:01

Mork0075
5,7774
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23 bronze badges
Add a comment

If you don't know before hand what files are there, you will need to get a
list, then just pick a random index in the list.

Here's one attempt:

import os
import random

def getRandomFile(path):
"""
Returns a random filename, chosen among the files of the given path.
"""
files = os.listdir(path)
index = random.randrange(0, len(files))
return files[index]
EDIT: The question now mentions a fear of a "race condition", which I
can only assume is the typical problem of files being added/removed
while you are in the process of trying to pick a random file.

I don't believe there is a way around that, other t