File Archiver Skill

Automatically organize and archive files using rule-based Python scripts.

Quick Start

1. Create Default Configuration

Generate a starter configuration file with example rules:

python scripts/archive_files.py --create-config config.json

This creates config.json with example rules for PDFs, images, and old files.

2. Customize Configuration

Edit config.json to match your archiving needs:

{
  "rules": [
    {
      "name": "PDF Documents",
      "pattern": "*.pdf",
      "destination": "./archive/documents/pdf",
      "use_date_folder": false,
      "preserve_structure": false
    },
    {
      "name": "Images by Date",
      "pattern": "*.jpg",
      "destination": "./archive/images",
      "use_date_folder": true,
      "preserve_structure": false
    }
  ]
}

Rule Fields:

• name: Human-readable rule name
• pattern: File pattern to match (.pdf, .jpg, report, or for all files)
• destination: Where to move/copy matched files
• use_date_folder: Create YYYY-MM-DD subfolder in destination
• preserve_structure: Keep original directory structure relative to source

3. Preview Archiving (Dry Run)

Test your rules without actually moving files:

python scripts/archive_files.py /path/to/source -c config.json --dry-run

4. Execute Archiving

Move files to archive:

python scripts/archive_files.py /path/to/source -c config.json

Copy files (keep originals):

python scripts/archive_files.py /path/to/source -c config.json -k

Configuration Examples

Example 1: Organize by File Type

{
  "rules": [
    {"name": "Documents", "pattern": "*.pdf", "destination": "./docs", "use_date_folder": false, "preserve_structure": false},
    {"name": "Images", "pattern": "*.jpg", "destination": "./images", "use_date_folder": false, "preserve_structure": false},
    {"name": "Videos", "pattern": "*.mp4", "destination": "./videos", "use_date_folder": true, "preserve_structure": false}
  ]
}

Example 2: Archive Old Files by Date

{
  "rules": [
    {
      "name": "Old Files Archive",
      "pattern": "*",
      "destination": "./archive",
      "use_date_folder": true,
      "preserve_structure": true
    }
  ]
}

Example 3: Project-Based Organization

{
  "rules": [
    {"name": "Source Code", "pattern": "*.py", "destination": "./project/src", "use_date_folder": false, "preserve_structure": true},
    {"name": "Documentation", "pattern": "*.md", "destination": "./project/docs", "use_date_folder": false, "preserve_structure": false},
    {"name": "Tests", "pattern": "test_*.py", "destination": "./project/tests", "use_date_folder": false, "preserve_structure": false}
  ]
}

Pattern Matching

The pattern field supports:

• Extension match: *.pdf matches all PDF files
• Wildcard match: report_* matches files starting with "report_"
• Exact match: readme.txt matches exactly that file
• Catch-all: * matches all files (use with caution)

Uses Python's fnmatch for wildcard matching.

Command-Line Options

python scripts/archive_files.py SOURCE [-c CONFIG] [OPTIONS]

Required:
  SOURCE              Source directory to scan

Options:
  -c, --config PATH   Configuration file path (JSON)
  -d, --dry-run       Simulate without moving/copying files
  -k, --keep-original Copy files instead of moving them
  --create-config PATH Create default configuration file

Workflow Integration

Use with OpenClaw

When user asks to organize files, archive old files, or clean up directories:

1. Ask user for source directory and archiving preferences
2. Generate appropriate config.json based on their needs
3. Run dry-run first to show what will be archived
4. Execute actual archiving after user confirmation

Example Conversation

User: "Help me organize my Downloads folder. I want to separate PDFs, images, and everything else."

Assistant:

1. Creates config.json with rules for .pdf, .jpg/.png, and
2. Runs dry-run to show preview
3. After confirmation, executes archiving

Advanced Usage

Date-Based Folders

Set use_date_folder: true to organize files by archive date:

./archive/images/
├── 2024-01-15/
│   ├── photo1.jpg
│   └── photo2.jpg
└── 2024-01-16/
    └── photo3.jpg

Preserve Directory Structure

Set preserve_structure: true to maintain relative paths:

Source: /data/projects/alpha/report.pdf

Destination: ./archive/projects/alpha/report.pdf

Combining Rules

Files match the first rule that matches their pattern. Order rules from most specific to least specific.

Troubleshooting

"Config file not found"

• Ensure -c config.json points to the correct path
• Use absolute paths or ensure you're in the correct working directory

"Source directory not found"

• Verify the source path exists
• Use quotes for paths with spaces: "/path/to/source"

Files not matching expected rules

• Check pattern syntax (use *.pdf not just .pdf)
• Remember: only the first matching rule applies
• Use --dry-run to see which rule matches each file

Technical Details

Script: scripts/archive_files.py

• Pure Python, no external dependencies
• Uses shutil for file operations
• Handles Unicode filenames correctly
• Cross-platform (Windows/Mac/Linux)

Return Value: JSON-like dictionary with archiving results

Safety:

• Dry-run mode prevents accidental data loss
• Copy mode (-k) preserves originals
• Exceptions are caught and reported per-file

License

MIT License (default for user-created skills)