bash script? how to rename files in random way?

lefty.crupps · 05-10-2006, 08:48 PM

I have a lot of photos that I need to put into a random-order slideshow. Easiest would be to just drag-and-drop the whole lot. Is there any way to scan a directory and batch-rename a group of files into random names, but keeping the extension? (.jpg in this case)

jlinkels · 05-10-2006, 09:19 PM

Something like:

Code:

for fname in *.jpg
do
   mv fname $RANDOM.jpg
done

If you want something more sophisticated use the rename command.

rename s/oldpart_of_filename.jpg/newname.jpg/ oldfile.jpg

http://www.faqs.org/docs/abs/HTML/

jlinkels

PS. I shouodl not have taken taht asty irish Coffee but I hope I gave somathing ti rename files adn not to delterr them all.

lefty.crupps · 05-21-2006, 08:32 PM

thanks jlinkels, but how do i use this code? I have created a file called ranren.sh and have tried running

Code:

lefty@1[photo_randomized]$ ./ranren.sh
mv: cannot stat `fname': No such file or directory
mv: cannot stat `fname': No such file or directory
mv: cannot stat `fname': No such file or directory
lefty@1[photo_randomized]$

As you can see, it won't accept "fname" as a file name. What should I change in the script? How would I cycle through each file name (160 total) and give it a random name? (preferably in a subfolder) Many of the files are photo_0001.jpg photo_0002.jpg but others have different names and need to be randomized as well.

thanks for any more help/advice!

p.s. I tried

Code:

ls | mv * $RANDOM.jpg

but it wouldn't move multiple files anywhere except to a directory

homey · 05-21-2006, 09:32 PM

jlinkels forgot to put the $ before fname like this.... $fname. I also put it inside quotes to help with file names that have spaces in them like ---- my latest pic.jpg ----
Also, it's good to have backups in case your code is goofy

and wouldn't hurt to put an echo before the mv command to give it a test run. Then, remove the echo when it looks good.

So, the code may look like this

Code:

for fname in *.jpg
do
   echo mv "$fname" $RANDOM.jpg
done

jlinkels · 05-21-2006, 09:49 PM

Thanks homey, and you are right about the quotes. And the backups of course.

jlinkels

lefty.crupps · 05-21-2006, 09:58 PM

that worked! (but I had to run the script twice to affect all of the files-- only the first 119 changed the first round??)

Thank you both for the help and quick responses!

lefty.crupps

tawan · 08-06-2009, 10:06 PM

hi, using the above

Code:

for fname in *.jpg
do
   echo mv "$fname" $RANDOM.jpg
done

files go missing as I guess the same random number is generated more than once.

I have no fix.

JulianTosh · 08-06-2009, 11:30 PM

No more filename collisions...

for fname in *.jpg;
do
mv "$fname" $(echo "$fname" | sha1sum | cut -f1 -d' ').jpg
done

tawan · 08-06-2009, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Admiral Beotch

No more filename collisions...

indeed! great.