Ubuntu Bulk File Renaming

[MayoMayn]

I'm wondering how do I bulk rename files? E.g I want to remove all characters before the first alphabetic character in each file without having to write a script that does it.

 

[Weasel]

You should use the rename function, in which you can pass certain rules with regular expressions in order to modify the bulk to how you want.

You must be registered for see links

Really easy to use.

 

[MayoMayn]

You should use the rename function, in which you can pass certain rules with regular expressions in order to modify the bulk to how you want.

You must be registered for see links

Really easy to use.

Thanks a lot.
But this doesn't seem to rename any file in my folder.

rename '/^[0-9\_]+/' *

 

[Weasel]

Thanks a lot.
But this doesn't seem to rename any file in my folder.

rename '/^[0-9\_]+/' *

rename 's/^\d+ //' *

 

[MayoMayn]

rename 's/^\d+ //' *

Doesn't work unfortunately.

 

[Weasel]

Doesn't work unfortunately.

What is it returning? Could you give your list of file names and desired name to turn it in to?

 

[Ecko]

What is it returning? Could you give your list of file names and desired name to turn it in to?

This, otherwise all I can think is you have files that are like
a1b2c3
b2b3c4
c3b4c5

And you want to remove the char?? Clarify please.

 

[MayoMayn]

This, otherwise all I can think is you have files that are like
a1b2c3
b2b3c4
c3b4c5

And you want to remove the char?? Clarify please.

Sorry for the late reply.

But here is an example of a bunch of images that have a number x_ infront of the real image filename.
I'm using a SWF decompiler that somehow thinks it's a good idea to add the key of the image to the file.
So I want to bulk rename all of these, to remove the annoying characters infront of the filename.
E.g "10_hair_M_jimmy_h_std_hr_2476_0_0.png" should become "hair_M_jimmy_h_std_hr_2476_0_0.png"

And when I try to run rename '/^[0-9\_]+/' * in the folder nothing happens.
But if you take a look at the image below the regex is correct.

 

[Weasel]

And when I try to run rename '/^[0-9\_]+/' * in the folder nothing happens.

Take a look at the man of rename. You're not passing it the value what it needs to be changed to.

rename 's/^[0-9]\_//' *

 

[MayoMayn]

Take a look at the man of rename. You're not passing it the value what it needs to be changed to.

rename 's/^[0-9]\_//' *

Well I tried the same and forgot the * but thanks man, you're a life saver <3

 

[Ecko]

sed -r 's/^[0-9]_+//g'

try:

for file in *; do mv -v $file $(echo $file | sed -r 's/^[0-9]*[0-9]_+//g'); done

only tested with this kind of fake structure:

[root@ecko test]# for file in *; do mv -v $file $(echo $file | sed -r 's/^[0-9]*[0-9]_+//g'); done
'10_test_file_10.png' -> 'test_file_10.png'
'11_test_file_11.png' -> 'test_file_11.png'
'12_test_file_12.png' -> 'test_file_12.png'
'13_test_file_13.png' -> 'test_file_13.png'
'14_test_file_14.png' -> 'test_file_14.png'
'15_test_file_15.png' -> 'test_file_15.png'
'16_test_file_16.png' -> 'test_file_16.png'
'17_test_file_17.png' -> 'test_file_17.png'
'18_test_file_18.png' -> 'test_file_18.png'
'19_test_file_19.png' -> 'test_file_19.png'
'1_test_file_1.png' -> 'test_file_1.png'
'20_test_file_20.png' -> 'test_file_20.png'
'2_test_file_2.png' -> 'test_file_2.png'
'3_test_file_3.png' -> 'test_file_3.png'
'4_test_file_4.png' -> 'test_file_4.png'
'5_test_file_5.png' -> 'test_file_5.png'
'6_test_file_6.png' -> 'test_file_6.png'
'7_test_file_7.png' -> 'test_file_7.png'
'8_test_file_8.png' -> 'test_file_8.png'
'9_test_file_9.png' -> 'test_file_9.png'