Edit and Delete Files and Folders

Update Folder Properties

Use the following script to update the name and description of an existing folder in Files. Ensure that you:

• Replace <private_key_path> with the path to your private key.
• Replace Cat Videos with the name of the folder you want to update properties for.
• Replace Cat videos and images with the new name you want to give the folder.
• Replace Images and videos of cats with the description you want to give the folder.

Use the list_storage_folders and find_storage_folders methods to search for specific folders.

If you are updating many folders at once, pass a Bundle to folder.update to batch the changes into a single server call. See Bulk Action Best Practices and keep bundle sizes under 1000 operations.

Single folder

from encord import EncordUserClient
from encord.orm.storage import FoldersSortBy

# Instantiate Encord client using your SSH private key
user_client = EncordUserClient.create_with_ssh_private_key(
    ssh_private_key_path="<private_key_path>"
)

# Define search parameters
folder_name_to_find = "Cat Videos"
search_result = user_client.find_storage_folders(
    search=folder_name_to_find,
    dataset_synced=None,
    order=FoldersSortBy.NAME,
    desc=False,
    page_size=1000
)

# Fetch the folder assuming it's the first one in the search result
folder = next(search_result, None)
if folder is None:
    print(f"No folder found with name {folder_name_to_find}")
else:
    # Define new properties for the folder
    new_name = "Cat videos and images"
    new_description = "Images and videos of cats"

    # Update the folder properties
    folder.update(name=new_name, description=new_description)
    print(f"Folder '{folder_name_to_find}' updated to new name '{new_name}' and description '{new_description}'")

---

Move Folders

You can move folders between different parent folders in Files, including moving them to the root (no parent). The following script demonstrates how a folder with the name Folder Name 3 is moved between 2 different target folders. The script must be modified to suit your needs.

Ensure that you:

• Replace <private_key_path> with the path to your private key.
• Replace Folder Name 1 with the name of a target folder.
• Replace Folder Name 2 with the new name of another target folder.
• Replace Folder Name 3 with the name of the folder that is moved.

Folders

from encord import EncordUserClient
from encord.storage import FoldersSortBy

# Instantiate Encord client by substituting the path to your private key
user_client = EncordUserClient.create_with_ssh_private_key(
                ssh_private_key_path="<private_key_path>"
            )

# Search for folders by name using the find_storage_folders function
folder_1 = next(user_client.find_storage_folders(search="Folder Name 1", dataset_synced=False, order=FoldersSortBy.NAME, desc=False, page_size=1000))
folder_2 = next(user_client.find_storage_folders(search="Folder Name 2", dataset_synced=False, order=FoldersSortBy.NAME, desc=False, page_size=1000))
folder_3 = next(user_client.find_storage_folders(search="Folder Name 3", dataset_synced=False, order=FoldersSortBy.NAME, desc=False, page_size=1000))

# Move folder_3 under folder_1
folder_3.move_to_folder(folder_1.uuid)

# Move folder_3 under folder_2
folder_3.move_to_folder(folder_2.uuid)

# Move folder_3 to root folder (passing None moves it to the root level)
folder_3.move_to_folder(None)

---

Delete Folders

Use the following script to delete a specific folder from Files. Ensure that you:

• Replace <private_key_path> with the path to your private key.
• Replace Specific Folder Name with the name of the folder you want to delete.

from encord import EncordUserClient
from encord.storage import FoldersSortBy

# Instantiate Encord client by substituting the path to your private key
user_client = EncordUserClient.create_with_ssh_private_key(
                ssh_private_key_path="<private_key_path>"
            )

# Define the search criteria for the folder
folder_search_criteria = "Specific Folder Name"

# Retrieve the target folder
try:
    folder_to_delete = next(user_client.find_storage_folders(search=folder_search_criteria, dataset_synced=None, order=FoldersSortBy.NAME, desc=False, page_size=1000))
    print(f"Deleting folder {folder_to_delete.uuid}")

    # Delete the folder and verify it cannot be accessed anymore
    folder_to_delete.delete()
    print("Folder deleted successfully.")

    try:
        # Try to refetch the folder to verify it's been deleted
        user_client.get_storage_folder(folder_to_delete.uuid)
        print("Error: Folder still accessible after deletion.")
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"Verification successful: {str(e)}")

except StopIteration:
    print("No folder found with the specified criteria.")