Thread: Program to rename files

try this
http://www.icewalkers.com/Linux/Soft...20460/mvb.html
(i googled it)

I have been looking into something similar but don't have to worry about the 8.3 restriction and will be using ID3 tagging for music. Check out this project, it can rename and retag mp3s based upon the music signature. http://musicbrainz.org

Here's a bash shell script that will do the trick. It's quick and dirty. It doesn't do any error checking, if your files are named songsdasdasd.foobar, it won't truncate the extension to 3 characters. It will make sure not to write a filename bigger than 8 digits though.

I take no responsibility for this script. If it sets your puppy on fire and makes your child cry, that's your business.

Code:

----- Beginning of script, don't include this line ------
#!/bin/bash
i=1;
for file in *
do
   ext=${file##*.}
   if [ "$file" != "$i.$ext" ]; then
      echo "moving $file to $i.$ext"
      mv $file $i.$ext
   else
      echo "skipping $file, already renamed."
   fi
   let i+=1
   if [ "$i" -gt "99999999" ]; then
      echo "too many files to fit in 8.3 naming scheme"
      break;
   fi
done

----- End of script, don't include this line ------

Interesting you're taking that approach. That's how my custom software imports files into it's permanent library, although I have no concern with DOS (when it imports it renames files as xxxxxx.mp3 and keeps track of where it left off for the next import).

You can use the find command like this to create a readable text file you can then iterate through to rename your files:

Code:

find /source/of/mp3/files -name '*.mp3' -follow > /temp/text/file

You can then use a simple for loop to iterate it as such:

Code:

COUNTER=0
for MP3FILE in `cat /temp/text/file` ;
do
    mv MP3FILE /destination/path/$COUNTER.mp3
    COUNTER=$((COUNTER++))
done
rm /temp/text/file

I didn't test this but you get the idea. Hope that helps.

Originally Posted by intuitionsys

Interesting you're taking that approach. That's how my custom software imports files into it's permanent library,

Huh, did I come up with almost the exact code? I didn't plan it out or anything, I'm sure there are better ways to solve the problem. I just started typing, tested it once and posted the code.

You did more than me I mainly posted the snippet re "find" as it will find files recursively if that's of any use.