rename each file found in multiple subfolders from "xxx_xxx.jpg" to "xxx-xxx.jpg" format

Question

I am new to bash shell programming and need help on this

I have a directory "production\new\images\sp" which contains multiple sub-folders with multiple file name in this format "xxxxx_xxxxx.jpg". I like to rename each of the file name from this format to "xxxxx-xxxxx.jpg" format in each sub-folder.

example:

86193730_43134.jpg =====> 86193730-43134.jpg

see [this answer](http://stackoverflow.com/a/602770/1009730) or [this answer](http://stackoverflow.com/a/602840/1009730) — mac, Oct 17 '13 at 18:40

score 4 · Answer 1 · edited Sep 07 '19 at 21:18

4

Try this :

rename 's/_/-/' *_*.jpg

There are other tools with the same name which may or may not be able to do this, so be careful.

If you run the following command (linux)

$ file $(readlink -f $(type -p rename))

and you have a result like

.../rename: Perl script, ASCII text executable

then this seems to be the right tool =)

If not, to make it the default (usually already the case) on Debian and derivative like Ubuntu :

$ sudo update-alternatives --set rename /path/to/rename

(replace /path/to/rename to the path of your perl's rename command.

Last but not least, this tool was originally written by Larry Wall, the Perl's dad.

edited Sep 07 '19 at 21:18

Glorfindel

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answered Oct 17 '13 at 18:41

Gilles Quénot

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actually, `s/_/-/` :) EDIT: aaa, fixed – Kamiccolo Oct 17 '13 at 18:43
1

You can use `rename _ -` or (on Debian derivatives) `rename.ul _ -`, that way you're not excluding all non-Debian distros. – that other guy Oct 17 '13 at 18:46
how to use that for multiple files in multiple sub-folders? like \test\subfolder1; \test\subfolder2; test\subfolder3, etc.... – user2267646 Oct 17 '13 at 19:24
If you want it to be recursive, use [tag:bash4] and `shopt -s globstar; rename 's/x/x/' **/*_*.jpg`. Or just `rename 's///' */*/*_*.jpg` – Gilles Quénot Oct 17 '13 at 20:23

anubhava · Answer 2 · 2013-10-17T19:50:59.710

0

In case rename is not available (as on OSX):

find . -type f -name "*.jpg" -execdir bash -c 'f="{}"; nf=$(tr "_" "-" <<< "$f") && mv "$f" "$nf"' \;

edited Oct 17 '13 at 19:50

answered Oct 17 '13 at 18:48

anubhava

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what is this mean nf=$(tr "_" "-" <<< "$f") && mv "$f" "$nf" – user2267646 Oct 17 '13 at 19:47
`nf=$(tr "_" "-" <<< "$f")` translates `_` by `-` in filename and `mv "$f" "$nf" ` renames old file with new filename – anubhava Oct 17 '13 at 19:51
Hi anubhava,Will it work for multiple sub-folders? Will it works in bash? – user2267646 Oct 18 '13 at 18:57
Yes ofcourse it works in BASH and solution will work in multiple sub folders – anubhava Oct 18 '13 at 19:04

score -1 · Answer 3 · edited Oct 17 '13 at 19:12

-1

this works for me (improved by @sputnik):

for f in *_*.jpg; do mv "$f" "$(echo "$f" | sed 's/_/-/')" ; done

edited Oct 17 '13 at 19:12

Gilles Quénot

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answered Oct 17 '13 at 18:41

tback

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-1 Don't do this. Never parse `ls` output, use globs directly : `for f in *_*.jpg` – Gilles Quénot Oct 17 '13 at 18:45
Added quotes to prevent _bash word spliting_ – Gilles Quénot Oct 17 '13 at 19:13

rename each file found in multiple subfolders from "xxx_xxx.jpg" to "xxx-xxx.jpg" format

3 Answers3