reconfigured the Folder Templates for git so that the engagement specific template file doesnt cause Master branch sync issues

.gitignore

@@ -6,3 +6,6 @@ config.ini
 # Python bytecode cache
 __pycache__/
 *.pyc
+
+# Per-engagement folder list (created from fccs_folders.template.txt on first run)
+fccs_folders.txt

README.md

@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ Extracts and organizes documents from FileCabinet CS (Thomson Reuters) using GUI
 |------|---------|
 | `config.template.ini` | Tracked template for all paths, timeouts, and FCCS control identifiers |
 | `config.ini` | Per-machine working config (git-ignored; auto-created from the template) |
-| `fccs_folders.txt` | FCCS folder templates (manually populated per engagement) |
+| `fccs_folders.template.txt` | Tracked template for FCCS folder names |
+| `fccs_folders.txt` | Per-engagement folder list (git-ignored; auto-created from the template) |
 | `fccs_config.py` | Shared config loading, logging, folder pattern building |
 | `fccs_scan.py` | Step 1: Scan backup directory for drawer IDs |
 | `fccs_export.py` | Step 2: Automate FCCS GUI to export all drawers |
@@ -28,7 +29,7 @@ Extracts and organizes documents from FileCabinet CS (Thomson Reuters) using GUI
 ## Setup Per Engagement
 
 1. Edit `config.ini` -- point `backup_dir`, `export_dir`, and `output_dir` at the client's directories. This file is created automatically from `config.template.ini` the first time you run any script (it's git-ignored, so your machine-specific paths never drift the repo). To reset a machine, delete `config.ini` and re-run. Keep shared/default changes in `config.template.ini` (the tracked file).
-2. Populate `fccs_folders.txt` -- open FCCS > System Configuration > Document Folders and list each folder template exactly as shown, one per line. Keep the `YYYY` prefix on recurring folders. UltraTax CS folders are detected automatically and do not need to be listed.
+2. Populate `fccs_folders.txt` -- open FCCS > System Configuration > Document Folders and list each folder template exactly as shown, one per line. Keep the `YYYY` prefix on recurring folders. UltraTax CS folders are detected automatically and do not need to be listed. Like `config.ini`, this file is auto-created from `fccs_folders.template.txt` on first use and is git-ignored — edit it freely per engagement; put only broadly-useful defaults in the tracked template.
 
 ## Workflow
 

fccs_config.py

@@ -14,6 +14,24 @@ DEFAULT_CONFIG = "config.ini"
 TEMPLATE_CONFIG = "config.template.ini"
 
 
+def ensure_from_template(path, template):
+    """Create a per-machine working file from its git-tracked template.
+
+    If `path` doesn't exist but `template` does, copy template -> path and
+    announce it. Returns True if the file exists (or was just created).
+    Used for config.ini and fccs_folders.txt so local edits never drift the
+    repo — the working copies are git-ignored, only the templates are tracked.
+    """
+    if os.path.exists(path):
+        return True
+    if os.path.exists(template):
+        shutil.copyfile(template, path)
+        print(f"Created {os.path.basename(path)} from "
+              f"{os.path.basename(template)}. Edit it for this machine: {path}")
+        return True
+    return False
+
+
 def parse_args():
     """Parse the optional --config argument common to all scripts."""
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
@@ -41,12 +59,7 @@ def load_config(path=None):
         script_dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(sys.argv[0]))
         path = os.path.join(script_dir, DEFAULT_CONFIG)
         # Auto-create the per-machine config from the template on first run.
-        if not os.path.exists(path):
+        ensure_from_template(path, os.path.join(script_dir, TEMPLATE_CONFIG))
-            template = os.path.join(script_dir, TEMPLATE_CONFIG)
-            if os.path.exists(template):
-                shutil.copyfile(template, path)
-                print(f"Created {DEFAULT_CONFIG} from {TEMPLATE_CONFIG}. "
-                      f"Edit it for this machine's settings: {path}")
     if not os.path.exists(path):
         print(f"ERROR: config file not found: {path}")
         print(f"       Expected {DEFAULT_CONFIG} or a --config path "
@@ -71,9 +84,17 @@ def make_logger(log_file):
 
 
 def load_folder_list(path):
-    """Load known FCCS folder names from file, one per line."""
+    """Load known FCCS folder names from file, one per line.
-    if not os.path.exists(path):
+
+    Like config.ini, the folder list is split into a tracked template
+    (fccs_folders.template.txt) and a git-ignored per-engagement working copy
+    (fccs_folders.txt) — auto-created from the template on first use.
+    """
+    root, ext = os.path.splitext(path)
+    template = root + ".template" + ext
+    if not ensure_from_template(path, template):
         print(f"ERROR: folder list file not found: {path}")
+        print(f"       (no template found at {template} to create it from)")
         sys.exit(1)
     folders = []
     with open(path, "r", encoding="utf-8") as f:

fccs_folders.template.txt

@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
-# FCCS Folder Templates
+# FCCS Folder Templates — TEMPLATE (tracked in git; do NOT edit per-engagement)
 # ---------------------
+# On first run the scripts copy this file to fccs_folders.txt (git-ignored) and
+# use that. Edit fccs_folders.txt for the current engagement so local changes
+# never drift the repo. Delete fccs_folders.txt to reset from this template.
+#
 # List folder names exactly as shown in FCCS System Configuration > Document Folders.
 # Keep the YYYY prefix for recurring folders. Non-recurring folders go as-is.
 # UltraTax CS folders are handled automatically — do not list them here.