An example of how to copy or move a bunch of files matching a specific regex with python.

move_or_copy.py

# Copyright (C) 2013 Simon Knapp
#
# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
# modify it under the any terms you wish.
#
# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

# To run this, type:
#
# python move_files.py <move|copy> <input directory> <output directory> [regexp]
#
# at a command prompt. If the first argument is move, then files will be moved
# otherwise files will be copied. It doesn't matter what directory structure
# is found under the input directory, the entire directory tree is walked and
# every file in every sub-directory will be checked.
#
# If no regular expression (4th argument) is provided, the one shown is used, but note that
# the named paramters must be suitable for the constructor of File.

import re, os, sys, shutil

def join(*args):
    return os.path.normpath(os.path.join(*args))

class File(object):
    def __init__(self, matchObj, directory, fileName):
        year = matchObj.group('year')
        post = matchObj.group('post')
        self.fileName = join(directory, fileName)
        self.newName = '.'.join(('_'.join((matchObj.group('pref'), year, matchObj.group('day'))), post, 'hdf'))
        self.newDir = join(post, year)
 
def tryMakeDir(path):
    try:
        os.makedirs(path)
    except:
        if not os.path.exists(path):
            raise Exception('failed to create output directory: ' + path)

def doMoveOrCopy(inputDir, outputDir, pattern, mover):
    prog = re.compile(pattern)
    for root, dirs, files in os.walk(inputDir):
        for fn in files:
            m = prog.match(fn)
            if m:
                f = File(m, root, fn)
                innerOutputDir = join(outputDir, f.newDir)
                try:
                    tryMakeDir(innerOutputDir)
                except Exception, e:
                    print e
                else:
                    mover(f.fileName, join(innerOutputDir, f.newName))

if __name__ == '__main__':
    fileNameRegEx = '(?P<pref>[^.]+?)\\.A(?P<year>\d{4})(?P<day>\d{3})\\.(?P<post>h\d{2}v\d{2})'
    copyOrMove = sys.argv[1]
    inputDir = sys.argv[2]
    outputDir = sys.argv[3]
    if len(sys.argv) > 4:
        fileNameRegEx = sys.argv[4]
    doMoveOrCopy(inputDir, outputDir, fileNameRegEx, shutil.copy if copyOrMove == 'copy' else shutil.move)
    
    # the folowing lines should just print a bunch of not able to move messages to the console. unless
    # you have a drive named Purple!
    #outputDir = 'Purple:/is/a/colour'
    #doMoveOrCopy(inputDir, outputDir, fileNameRegEx, shutil.copy if copyOrMove == 'copy' else shutil.move)