[SOLVED] doubt in rename command's syntax

Bringo · 04-29-2010, 02:43 PM

Hi linux users,

I have many files in directory with names in this pattern:
foo-1.ext, foo-32.ext, foo-12.ext ...
I want to rename all these files as:
bar-1.ext, bar-32.ext, bar-12.ext ...

After reading man for rename, I am trying this way:

rename foo-*.ext bar-*.ext
and
rename foo-?.ext foo-??.ext bar-?.ext bar-??.ext

Both of my tries give no syntax error(s). But the files are also never renamed as desired. Please help me.

pixellany · 04-29-2010, 03:08 PM

The syntax for rename is:

Code:

rename from to filename

Example:

Code:

rename book movie *

This would find every file in the current directory with "book" in the name, and replace it with "movie"

I just tried this:

Code:

rename cm* CM *

This deleted one of two files containing cm in the name, and failed to rename the other!! This suggests that wild cards in the "from" field is not what you want to do. (Maybe some quoting would solve it??)

pixellany · 04-29-2010, 03:11 PM

Another test suggests that you simply cannot have a wildcard in the "from" field

H_TeXMeX_H · 04-29-2010, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bringo

Hi linux users,

I have many files in directory with names in this pattern:
foo-1.ext, foo-32.ext, foo-12.ext ...
I want to rename all these files as:
bar-1.ext, bar-32.ext, bar-12.ext ...

After reading man for rename, I am trying this way:

rename foo-*.ext bar-*.ext
and
rename foo-?.ext foo-??.ext bar-?.ext bar-??.ext

Both of my tries give no syntax error(s). But the files are also never renamed as desired. Please help me.

just do:

Code:

rename foo bar *.ext

don't use wildcards in the other fields as they can cause problems.

pixellany · 04-29-2010, 03:58 PM

Quote:

don't use wildcards in the other fields as they can cause problems.

AMEN!!!

catkin · 04-30-2010, 03:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by H_TeXMeX_H

Code:

rename foo bar *.ext

Safer to quote the wildcarded string so it is not expanded by the shell and gets to rename as you intend

Code:

rename foo bar '*.ext'

Bringo · 04-30-2010, 04:25 AM

Thanks a lot to all of you,

Quote:

rename foo bar *.ext

worked.

catkin · 04-30-2010, 04:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bringo

Thanks a lot to all of you,
worked.

Test it in a directory with files like A.ext, B.ext ...

Bringo · 04-30-2010, 04:37 AM

I tested it and it worked..