YYYY-MM-DD - Description
File Structure Example:
- [Drive]:\
- Development
- 2014-10-04 - Scuba Calculators
- 2015-06-01 - Make New Project Directory
- GIS
- 2012-05-14 - Whatever Project...
- Shapefiles
- Exports
- From Client
- MXDs
- Photos
- 2013-04-05 - Birthday in Midtown
- Hilights
- Edited
- Original
- ...
- Videos
- 2015-06-01 - Michelin Man Thug Life
- Source Media
- Exports
- ...
This is an easy way to chronologically catalog projects within their respective folders, but I'm lazy, and I hate having to look down at my task bar clock to find out what the date is, and I can't stand typing in that endless date!
Solutions Posted on GitHub
I posted all the scripts I came up with for this on my GitHub page under the Make New Project Directory repo.
Batch File
I originally tried coming up with a Batch file (.bat) to add the folder using the format I wanted. It's easy to make a predefined folder structure using CMD commands, but pulling that date style turned out to be a little tricky, so I looked elsewhere.
Python Script
I came up with a great Python script that will automatically add a folder that's named with the current date followed by XXXXDescriptionXXXX (so I could easily find and rename it further). Just double click the python file and the new project folder is added. Additionally, I repeated the code to add subdirectories for common sub-folders: Exports and Shapefiles for GIS projects; Originals, Highlights, and Edited for photos & video; etc.
Pros:
- This is great! It works automatically
- Simple code. It executes in 6 lines. View the code here
Cons:
- I quickly realized how awfully tedious it is to have to slow double click to rename, something every time I create a new project. I need some kind of interface to enter a project name, and I haven't had great luck using TkInter yet.
Note: I've heard good things about PyQt for an interface
- I don't necessarily want those sub-directories for every project
VBScript
My best solution so far was to write a VBScript (.vbs format) to prompt me for a project name AND ask if I want to add those common project sub-folders.
Pros:
- Most efficient method so far
- Quick, easy, no renaming
Cons:
- Slightly longer code (24 lines without comments & line continuation), but it does include some more logic handling. View the code here.
- This is still generalized, and the "common subdirectories" option is hard coded (i.e. I don't need a Shapefiles directory in a video editing project).
