CODEWITHSUNDEEP
emacsdired
PascalVKooten
PascalVKooten

Reputation: 21433

Emacs Dired rename many files

How to rename from:

VAR1_1F_text.txt
VAR2_1F_text.txt
VAR3_2F_text.txt

to

1F_VAR1_text.txt
1F_VAR2_text.txt
2F_VAR3_text.txt

How to switch parts of filenames?

Upvotes: 42

Views: 10729

Answers (3)

itirazimvar
itirazimvar

Reputation: 919

This technique, which I discovered on the internet, is highly beneficial.

It enables you to perform actions, such as running macros, like you edit text files. Once you make changes on the screen and save it as file, they will be automatically applied to the filename.

Alt+x dired to go to the directory.
Alt+x dired-toggle-read-only 【Ctrl+x Ctrl+q】.
Then, just edit the file names. (You can use Alt+x query-replace or Alt+x query-replace-regexp [see Emacs: Find Replace in Current File] or rectangle commands. [see Emacs: Edit Column Text, Rectangle Commands])
When done, wdired-finish-edit 【Ctrl+c Ctrl+c】 to commit the changes.

To abort, Alt+x w dired-abort-changes or【Ctrl+c Ctrl+k】

Reference: http://xahlee.info/emacs/emacs/rename_file_pattern.html

Upvotes: 3

ᐅdevrimbaris
ᐅdevrimbaris

Reputation: 796

You could also use Magnar Sveen's multiple-cursors from here, github link.

Switch to writable dired, select the files you want to rename, M-x mc/edit-lines. This should create multiple cursor each with its own kill history.

Upvotes: 5

François Févotte
François Févotte

Reputation: 20238

This can easily be done using dired:

  1. Enter a dired view of your directory

  2. Switch to writable dired mode (wdired-change-to-wdired-mode): C-xC-q

  3. Edit the file names listing as if it were a normal buffer (for example using a keyboard macro or a rectangular selection or query-replace). Here is a regexp-based solution:

    C-M-%\(VAR.\)_\(..\)RET\2_\1RET

  4. Finish editing (wdired-finish-edit): C-xC-s or C-cC-c

You're done!

Upvotes: 84

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