A minimal Python script that scans all subdirectories (except the "All" folder) in the current working directory and creates a unified "All" folder populated with symlinks to each file. It replicates the original folder structure within "All", offering a convenient aggregated view of files without moving them.

create_symlinks_only.py

import os
from pathlib import Path

def update_symlinks(base_path):
    """
    Create/update an 'All' folder containing symlinks to files found in all
    subdirectories of the base_path (except 'All' itself). The directory structure
    is replicated: for each top-level folder, its internal structure is reproduced
    inside the 'All' folder.
    """
    base_dir = Path(base_path)
    all_dir = base_dir / "All"
    all_dir.mkdir(exist_ok=True)

    # Remove broken symlinks within the "All" folder.
    for item in all_dir.glob('**/*'):
        if item.is_symlink() and not item.exists():
            try:
                item.unlink()
                print(f"Removed broken symlink: {item}")
            except Exception as e:
                print(f"Error removing broken symlink {item}: {e}")

    created_symlinks = 0

    # Iterate over all subdirectories (skip "All")
    for sub_dir in base_dir.iterdir():
        if sub_dir.is_dir() and sub_dir.name != "All":
            # Walk through the subdirectory recursively.
            for root, _, files in os.walk(sub_dir):
                for file in files:
                    original_file = Path(root) / file
                    try:
                        # Get the relative path from the top-level subdirectory.
                        relative_path = Path(root).relative_to(sub_dir)
                        # Recreate the folder structure inside "All" under a folder named as the source folder.
                        symlink_dir = all_dir / sub_dir.name / relative_path
                        symlink_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
                        
                        symlink_path = symlink_dir / file
                        if not symlink_path.exists():
                            # Compute a relative target for the symlink.
                            target = os.path.relpath(original_file, symlink_dir)
                            symlink_path.symlink_to(target)
                            print(f"Created symlink: {symlink_path} -> {target}")
                            created_symlinks += 1
                        else:
                            print(f"Symlink already exists: {symlink_path}")
                    except Exception as e:
                        print(f"Error creating symlink for {original_file}: {e}")

    print(f"\nSymlink update complete: {created_symlinks} new symlinks created.")

if __name__ == "__main__":
    base_path = os.getcwd()
    print(f"Working in directory: {base_path}")
    update_symlinks(base_path)
    input("\nPress Enter to exit...")