Hello all, I'm new to linux and I have a question about running a java program on text files and sending the output to new files with the same name but adding a prefix.

Right now I can do this with a single file using the following command.

cat filename.txt | java -cp (java program stuff) > newfile.txt

I want to know if there is a way I can take a mass of files (all located in a single folder), run this program on each individual file and send the output to new files using the filename of the original as part of the new file name?

If this is possible it would be great.

You can use the for loop. To copy all files from a specific directory and append '_new' to the new file:

I'd like ask just two questions, I'd prefer to add a prefix to the front would it still work if I did new_"$file" if it won't work I'll deal with it.

Secondly would the output be in the directory I'm currently in, or would it be in the directory the files come in.

Ok I lied three questions do I need to specify the full directory structure?

Either way thank you for your prompt reply.

Yes, it would.

The new files would be in the directory you're working in. To save it to a specific directory, specify the directory in the re-direction.

If you issue the commands from the directory with the files, no.

I tried the for loop and an odd thing is happening. This error continues to repeat itself. "cat: : No such file or directory" Oddly in the folder I directed the output to a single empty file named with only the prefix I wanted to add now exits.

I am typing in the command as such. Am I doing something wrong?

for files in FilesToProcess/* ; do cat "$file" | java -cp (java program stuff) > newFolder/new_"$file" ; done

There are a few errors

1) it needs to be "for file in ...", not "for files in ....". Notice how later on you're referencing $file, this needs to match the variable you are using at the start of the for loop.

2) you can't prefix the file with new_"$file" if you give it the full path, otherwise it'll stick the new_ before the directory structure (ie: FilesToProcess/file.txt becomes new_FilesToProcess/file.txt). You'll need to use a combination of dirname and basename if you want to prefix it:

1 members found this post helpful.

@suicidaleggroll

Thank you, your solution worked. Though I must've done something wrong as the processed files ended up in the original folder rather than the destination, but do to the prefix being added moving them to the proper folder wasn't a problem.

Anyway thank you again, it was all very helpful.

Didn't notice you wanted to move them to a new folder, in that case just remove the dir=$(dirname "$file") line, and hard code your destination folder in the java output: