Folder Organizer by Years

A PowerShell script that automatically organizes folders into year-based directories by extracting year information from folder names with parentheses notation.

Overview

This script scans a root directory for subfolders containing years in parentheses (e.g., "Movie Title (2023)") and automatically moves them into organized year subdirectories under a "years" folder. It's particularly useful for organizing media collections, project archives, or any folder structure where year-based organization is desired.

Features

• Automatic Year Detection: Extracts years from folder names using regex pattern (YYYY)
• Safe Path Validation: Checks for invalid characters and validates paths before moving
• Year Range Validation: Only processes years between 1900-2100 to avoid false matches
• Progress Tracking: Real-time progress bar showing processing status
• Duplicate Handling: Automatically renames folders if destination already exists
• Comprehensive Error Handling: Graceful handling of file system errors with detailed reporting
• Summary Statistics: Displays completion summary with success/failure counts

Prerequisites

• Windows PowerShell 5.1 or PowerShell Core 6+
• Appropriate file system permissions for the target directory
• Windows operating system (uses Windows-specific path validation)

Installation

1. Download the folderbyyears.ps1 script
2. Place it in your desired location
3. Ensure PowerShell execution policy allows script execution:

   Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser

Usage

Basic Usage

1. Run the script:

   .\folderbyyears.ps1

2. When prompted, enter the root folder path:

   Please enter the root folder path (e.g., C:\Movies): C:\MyMovies
   

Example Directory Structure

Before:

C:\Movies\
├── The Matrix (1999)\
├── Inception (2010)\
├── Blade Runner 2049 (2017)\
├── The Godfather (1972)\
└── Avatar (2009)\

After:

C:\Movies\
├── years\
│   ├── 1972\
│   │   └── The Godfather (1972)\
│   ├── 1999\
│   │   └── The Matrix (1999)\
│   ├── 2009\
│   │   └── Avatar (2009)\
│   ├── 2010\
│   │   └── Inception (2010)\
│   └── 2017\
│       └── Blade Runner 2049 (2017)\

How It Works

1. Input Validation: Verifies the root path exists and is accessible
2. Year Folder Creation: Creates a "years" subfolder in the root directory
3. Folder Scanning: Identifies all subdirectories (excluding the "years" folder)
4. Year Extraction: Uses regex to find year patterns in format (YYYY)
5. Path Validation: Checks for invalid filename characters
6. Year Validation: Ensures extracted year is within reasonable range (1900-2100)
7. Directory Organization: Creates year subdirectories and moves folders accordingly
8. Conflict Resolution: Handles duplicate destinations by appending random suffixes

Supported Folder Name Formats

✅ Supported:

• Movie Title (2023)
• Project Name (1995)
• Document Archive (2001)

❌ Not Supported:

• Movie Title 2023 (no parentheses)
• Movie Title (23) (2-digit year)
• Movie Title (Year 2023) (additional text in parentheses)
• Folders with invalid filename characters

Error Handling

The script handles various error scenarios:

• Invalid root paths: Validates existence before processing
• Invalid characters: Skips folders with filesystem-invalid characters
• Duplicate destinations: Automatically renames with random suffix
• File system errors: Catches and reports move operation failures
• Invalid years: Skips folders with years outside 1900-2100 range

Output Messages

• 🟢 Green: Successful operations and directory creations
• 🟡 Yellow: Warnings for skipped folders or renamed duplicates
• 🔴 Red: Errors during processing
• 🔵 Cyan: Summary information

Limitations

• Only processes folders with years in parentheses at the end of the name
• Designed for Windows file systems
• Requires appropriate permissions for moving folders
• Does not process nested subdirectories (only direct children of root)
• Year range limited to 1900-2100

Safety Features

• Non-destructive: Only moves folders, doesn't delete anything
• Validation: Multiple validation layers prevent invalid operations
• Backup-friendly: Original folder structure preserved in year-based organization
• Conflict resolution: Never overwrites existing folders

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

"Execution policy" error:

Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser

"Path does not exist" error:

• Verify the path is correct and accessible
• Check for proper drive letter and directory separators

Folders not being moved:

• Ensure folder names contain years in format (YYYY)
• Check that years are within 1900-2100 range
• Verify folder names don't contain invalid characters

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Test thoroughly with different folder structures
5. Submit a pull request

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Author

Created for organizing folder structures with year-based classification needs.

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Note: Always test on a backup copy of your data before running on important folders.