rename file to add apostrophe

timl · 03-19-2022, 08:29 PM

Hi,

I have been digging around the net for a solution to my problem and I think I have the answer. I thought I would put it up here to see whether anyone has any better solutions. I have a number of files of the format

Quote:

Hancocks Half Hour - Bill and Father Christmas.mp3

I would like to add an apostrophe for correctness

Quote:

Hancock's Half Hour - Bill and Father Christmas.mp3

I would like to create a shell script rather than moving all 73 myself.

I have got it down to

Code:

#! /bin/sh
  for f1 in *.mp3
  do echo "converting $f1"
    f2=$(awk '{gsub(/cock/, "cock\047")} 1' <<< "$f1")
    mv "${f1}" "${f2}"
  done

This does the trick but if anyone has suggestions for greater efficiency I would really appreciate any feedback

TIA

Tim

mrmazda · 03-19-2022, 09:24 PM

PC filenames and correct English grammar make poor bedfellows. My recommendation is don't do it. Also, remove whitespace and any other special characters besides ., -, & _ from filenames. HancocksHalfHour-BillnFatherChristmas.mp3 would obviously to most people have the same meaning as the original name. None of the names of files which I created on any of my filesystems contain any other characters but ., -, –, —, _ & alphanumerics.

syg00 · 03-19-2022, 09:38 PM

Hard to argue. Not to mention: why are you even talking about "greater efficiency" for just 73 files ... :sheesh:

pan64 · 03-20-2022, 02:39 AM

yes, this is not a good idea. But if you wish you can do it with the command rename:

Code:

rename "s/cocks/cock's/" *.mp3

(if this rename command is available)

or you can use the other way:

Code:

rename "cocks" "cock's" *.mp3

if you have this kind of rename command: https://www.man7.org/linux/man-pages/man1/rename.1.html

computersavvy · 03-20-2022, 09:30 PM

When using linux file names you will often find scripts that bork when accessing files with names containing spaces or any other special characters. White space and ',(,),! are just some of the characters that linux borks with but seem prevalent in windows systems. You can easily see which files contain unusual characters in the file name if the output of the 'ls' command encloses the file name in double quotes. Those file names always requite special handling for scripts and often other programs.

I second the suggestion above to remove the unnecessary characters rather than add more.

MadeInGermany · 03-21-2022, 01:32 AM

Shell scripts can and should be fixed to correctly handle special characters in file names. The usual method is to put double-quotes around $variables in commands.
On the command line they need extra quoting as well. The tab key helps you with it.

The for loop in post 1 can be improved:

Code:

    f2=${f1/Hancocks/Hancock\'s}

(This is an assignment, not a command.)

computersavvy · 03-21-2022, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadeInGermany

Shell scripts can and should be fixed to correctly handle special characters in file names. The usual method is to put double-quotes around $variables in commands.
On the command line they need extra quoting as well. The tab key helps you with it.

As I stated

Code:

Those file names always requite special handling for scripts and often other programs.

Of course the special characters can be handled. I prefer KISS.

rclark · 03-21-2022, 04:08 PM

Quote:

I prefer KISS.

Me too. In fact I go so far as just using camel case for all my file names. Keeps things simple yet readable.

'Hancocks Half Hour - Bill and Father Christmas.mp3' becomes 'HancocksHalfHour-BillAndFatherChristmas.mp3'

boughtonp · 03-21-2022, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadeInGermany

Shell scripts can and should be fixed to correctly handle special characters in file names.

Agreed except s/special/all/ - people need to stop using the term "special" for anything that isn't alphanumeric. Computers are tools, and GNU/Linux OSes in particular are about giving/returning power to users.

If it's on a user's keyboard, it's valid in a filename, and apostrophes are one of the more mundane and non-special centuries-old language constructs which users should not have to worry about dancing around just because some programmers apparently feel the need to deliberately write buggy and insecure code.

evo2 · 03-21-2022, 05:46 PM

Hi,

thought I'd share a perl script I use to change file names to my liking. I don't remember where I got it from, but it contains a comment with a unique
typo: "hypenathe the leading number". Putting that into a search engine led to.

https://llg.cubic.org/tools/stripfilename

You can easily comment out substitutions that you don't want.

HTH,

Evo2.