Getting error while deleting files from a folder using python script

Question

Im running a python script which deletes the files from a folder.im running the script in a virtual machine...but im getting error as follows:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Users\Desktop\hyta\python_scripts\python_scr\file_delete.py", line 66, in <module
    compare_and_delete_sql_files(folder_a, folder_b, output_csv, sql_filenames)
  File "C:\Users\Desktop\hyta\python_scripts\python_scr\file_delete.py", line 53, in compare_and_delete_sql_files
    os.remove(os.path.join(folder_b, filename))
PermissionError: [WinError 32] The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process: 'C:\Users\Desktop\hyta\python_scripts\python_scr/folder_b\\scrum_1.sql'

My code:

import os
import csv

def extract_sql_filenames_from_yaml(yaml_file):
    sql_filenames = {}
    with open(yaml_file, 'r') as file:
        is_sql_section = False
        for line in file:
            line = line.strip()
            if line == 'sql:':
                is_sql_section = True
            elif is_sql_section and line.startswith('- name:') and not line.startswith('#'):
                filename = line.split(':')[-1].strip()
                if filename.endswith('.sql'):
                    sql_filenames[filename] = sql_filenames.get(filename, 0) + 1
            elif line.startswith('-') and not line.startswith('#'):
                is_sql_section = False
    return sql_filenames

def compare_and_delete_sql_files(folder_a, folder_b, output_csv, sql_filenames):
    processed_filenames = set()  # To keep track of processed filenames

    # Initialize CSV file writer
    with open(output_csv, 'w', newline='') as csvfile:
        fieldnames = ['SQL File Name', 'Occurrences', 'Match Status', 'Delete Status']
        writer = csv.DictWriter(csvfile, fieldnames=fieldnames)
        writer.writeheader()

        # Iterate through each SQL filename extracted from YAML
        for filename, occurrences in sql_filenames.items():
            # Skip processing if the filename has already been processed
            if filename in processed_filenames:
                continue

            # Mark the filename as processed
            processed_filenames.add(filename)

            sql_file_a = os.path.join(folder_a, filename)
            match_status = 'Not Matched'
            delete_status = 'Not Deleted'

            # Check if the file exists in folder_a
            if os.path.exists(sql_file_a):
                # Compare with folder_b if necessary
                if os.path.exists(os.path.join(folder_b, filename)):
                    with open(sql_file_a, 'r') as f_a, open(os.path.join(folder_b, filename), 'r') as f_b:
                        lines_a = f_a.readlines()
                        lines_b = f_b.readlines()
                        if lines_a == lines_b:
                            match_status = 'Matched'
                            delete_status = 'Deleted'
                            # Delete file from folder_b
                            os.remove(os.path.join(folder_b, filename))

            # Write to CSV
            writer.writerow({'SQL File Name': filename, 'Occurrences': occurrences,
                             'Match Status': match_status, 'Delete Status': delete_status})

# Example usage
folder_a = '/path/to/folder/a'
folder_b = '/path/to/folder/b'
output_csv = 'comparison_results.csv'
yaml_file = 'example.yaml'

sql_filenames = extract_sql_filenames_from_yaml(yaml_file)
compare_and_delete_sql_files(folder_a, folder_b, output_csv, sql_filenames)

Answer 1

PermissionError: [WinError 32] The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process:

The error indicated that file is open, so it can't be deleted.

It is happening because you are deleting the file inside with open block of your code.

Execute this line os.remove(os.path.join(folder_b, filename)) outside of the open block.

Make sure folder_b and filename variables are available outside of the open block.