How to rename files: picture.jpg.~1~ to picture_~1~.jpg

Question

I have say 30000 files of this type: picture.jpg.~12~

They are remnants of a backup (mv -v --backup=numbered ...).

I needed to switch the extensions to: picture.~12~.jpg

xerostomus · Accepted Answer · 2021-12-25T21:25:32.607

1

I have found this solution finally which might inspire you in This Long Dark Covid-time of the Soul.

ls *~*~* | sed -n "s/\(.*\)\.\([^.]*\).\(~[0-9]*~\)$/mv  -v --backup=numbered  \"\0\" \"\1_\3.\2\"/p" >switch_extensions.sh
chmod +x switch_extensions.sh
./switch_extensions.sh > switch_extensions.log

The first line produces commands:

mv  -v --backup=numbered  "Trombone.tif.~10~" "Trombone_~10~.tif"

The second line makes it executable, the third is renaming while creating a log file. Then swiftly comes relief from the dark soul ruminations. Try it!

You might know a smarter solution, so let brains storm! :-)

edited Dec 25 '21 at 21:25

answered Dec 18 '21 at 19:55

xerostomus

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mmv '*.jpg.*' '#1.#2.jpg' – Dec 18 '21 at 21:34
+1, @xerostomus, nice challenge :-) – sudodus Dec 18 '21 at 21:53
@bac0n, great command for this task. I would have manipulated the file name parts with bash parameter expansion methods and then done a mv command, but this is so much simpler. When looking at the link in your comment at the question, I saw that I already upvoted it years ago, but forgot about it :-P – sudodus Dec 18 '21 at 22:02
@xerostomus: Please note: Why not parse ls? – Cyrus Dec 19 '21 at 21:15
@Cyrus Of course, I run detox first. I do not tolerate much freedom among file names. :-) – xerostomus Dec 20 '21 at 06:30
@bacOn - Thanks, I did not know it. – xerostomus Dec 20 '21 at 06:33

How to rename files: picture.jpg.~1~ to picture_~1~.jpg

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