old_contents: # 
  # Copyright (c) 2012 by Lifted Studios.  All Rights Reserved.
  # 
  
  import constants
  import datetime
  import re
  
  from CopyrightCommand import CopyrightCommand
  from Exception import MissingOwnerException
  
  class UpdateCopyrightCommand(CopyrightCommand):
    '''
    Updates the copyright text, if present.
    '''
    def run(self, edit):
      '''
      Executes the update command by searching for the copyright text and replacing it, if necessary.
      '''
      try:
        self.__update_copyright(edit)
  
      except MissingOwnerException:
        self.handle_missing_owner_exception()
  
    def __update_copyright(self, edit):
      '''
      Finds the copyright text and replaces it by updating the year if it has changed.
      '''
      pattern = self.format_pattern("(\d+)(-\d+)?", self.get_owner())
      region = self.view.find(pattern, 0)
  
      if region:
        oldYear = self.__get_old_year(region, pattern)
        newYear = str(datetime.date.today().year)
        if oldYear != newYear:
          self.__replace_match(edit, region, oldYear, newYear)
  
    def __get_old_year(self, region, pattern):
      '''
      Extract the old year from the pre-existing copyright text.
      '''
      text = self.view.substr(region)
      match = re.match(pattern, text)
      return match.group(1)
  
    def __replace_match(self, edit, region, oldYear, newYear):
      '''
      Replace the old copyright text with the new copyright text.
      '''
      owner = self.get_owner()
      message = self.format_text(oldYear + "-" + newYear, owner)
      self.view.replace(edit, region, message)
  
new_contents: # 
  # Copyright (c) 2012 by Lifted Studios.  All Rights Reserved.
  # 
  
  import constants
  import datetime
  import re
  
  from CopyrightCommand import CopyrightCommand
  from Exception import MissingOwnerException
  
  class UpdateCopyrightCommand(CopyrightCommand):
    '''
    Updates the copyright text, if present.
    '''
    def run(self, edit):
      '''
      Executes the update command by searching for the copyright text and replacing it, if necessary.
      '''
      try:
        self.__update_copyright(edit)
  
      except MissingOwnerException:
        self.handle_missing_owner_exception()
  
    def __find_copyright(self):
      '''
      Finds the copyright text.
      '''
      pattern = self.__get_pattern()
      return self.view.find(pattern, 0)
  
    def __get_old_year(self, region, pattern):
      '''
      Extract the old year from the pre-existing copyright text.
      '''
      text = self.view.substr(region)
      match = re.match(pattern, text)
      return match.group(1)
  
    def __get_pattern(self):
      '''
      Gets the pattern to use to find the copyright text.
      '''
      if self.pattern == None:
        self.pattern = self.format_pattern("(\d+)(-\d+)?", self.get_owner())
  
      return self.pattern
  
    def __replace_copyright(self, region):
      '''
      Replaces the copyright text by updating the year to span from the original year to the current one.
      '''
      if region:
        pattern = self.__get_pattern()
        oldYear = self.__get_old_year(region, pattern)
        newYear = str(datetime.date.today().year)
        if oldYear != newYear:
          self.__replace_match(edit, region, oldYear, newYear)
  
    def __replace_match(self, edit, region, oldYear, newYear):
      '''
      Replace the old copyright text with the new copyright text.
      '''
      owner = self.get_owner()
      message = self.format_text(oldYear + "-" + newYear, owner)
      self.view.replace(edit, region, message)
  
    def __update_copyright(self, edit):
      '''
      Finds the copyright text and replaces it.
      '''
      region = self.__find_copyright()
      self.__replace_copyright(region)
  
subject: Refactor the code to make it much clearer.