Multiple file rename

jrdioko · 11-05-2004, 06:20 PM

I have about 50 files that I need to rename, and I don't want to do it manually. I looked into a few ways of doing this but I have spaces in the filenames which seems to complicate things. Can anyone let me know how to do this?

I want files named:

I\ Am\ A\ File\ -\ Sometexthere

renamed to:

Sometexthere

Thanks in advance.

ror · 11-05-2004, 06:26 PM

you'll need a script to do it, I was looking into this a while ago for windows, I got cygwin/bash just to do it, but it still needed to be scripted./

it used to be bookmarked

http://unix.about.com/library/glossa...p009.htm?zIr=5

but that link is dead now!

god damn about.com keep making their links die!

jrdioko · 11-05-2004, 06:30 PM

Can I do this sort of thing:

$ for f in filelist ... ; do mv "$f" "${f/oldname/newname}" ; done

even with the spaces (well, backslash escaped spaces) in there? I'd try but I'm afraid it's going to get confused by those and start renaming other things.

tardigrade · 11-05-2004, 06:42 PM

theres a nice program called krename thats good for that sort of thing. but i see you use slackware w/ fluxbox so thats probably no help to you. i posted for someone who may search into this fourm.

ror · 11-05-2004, 07:48 PM

firstly why do you think that would be no use?

Secondly it's probably nicer to do it from a shell anyway.

And yes, the script was along the lines of for X in ...

jrdioko · 11-06-2004, 12:32 AM

Slackware can use "k" programs, thank you very much

. And thanks for the confirmation that that will work ror.

EDIT:
I just realized the command I typed doesn't do what I want it to do. Won't that just rename the entire file rather than changing part of it? What's the correct way to use a for statement to do what I want to do? Thanks.

ror · 11-06-2004, 12:36 AM

use sed s/ to change the name.

tardigrade · 11-06-2004, 07:13 PM

next time ill just keep my mouth shut.
"firstly why do you think that would be no use?
Secondly it's probably nicer to do it from a shell anyway. "
my point exactly.

ror · 11-06-2004, 07:41 PM

heh sorry then, I thought you were one of the legions out there who are under the strange believe that kde apps have to be run under kde, etc (sadly a common belief around here ;( )

LasseW · 11-07-2004, 04:14 PM

Assuming the part you want to remove is identical for all files, this should do the work:

for F in I*
do
mv "$F" ${F#I am file - }
done

jrdioko · 11-07-2004, 05:25 PM

Ok, I ended up doing it another way but I'll keep that in mind for next time. Thanks all for the suggestions.