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How to Rename a Batch of Files in Numbered Sequence

·356 words·2 mins
bash bash script rename
Rodney Maiato
Author
Rodney Maiato
Hugo SSG evangelist, musician, and painter.

To rename files in numbered sequence, use a simple Bash script in the directory.

#!/bin/bash

# Step 1: Choose a prefix
read -p "Choose a prefix: " prefix

# Initialize a counter
i=1

# Step 3: Use a for loop to iterate through the files
for file in *; do
  # Step 4: Use the mv command to rename and printf to format
  mv "$file" "$(printf "$prefix"_%03d.jpg "$i")"
  i=$((i + 1))
done

Solving Everyday Problems With BASH Scripts #

Are you stuck with a bunch of .jpg files with cryptic names? Renaming them manually can be time-consuming, but with a simple Bash script, you can rename them in seconds.

Let’s imagine you wanted your to rename files with the following criteria:

  • A custom prefix
  • Followed by an underscore
  • Sequential numbering padded with leading zeros
  • End with a .jpg extension

Breaking Down the Solution - Step by Step #

Step 1 - Create a variable to store a prefix #

In the script, we start by asking you to choose a prefix with the read -p command. This prefix is stored in a variable named “prefix.” For example, if you enter “national_park,” it becomes your chosen prefix.

Step 2 - Initiate a counter #

We declare a variable “i” to serve as a counter. In our example, we start numbering with 1, but you can modify it to start from any number you prefer.

Step 3 - Use a for loop to iterate through all the files in your directory #

A for loop is used to cycle through each file in the directory. The loop continues until all files have been processed.

Step 4 - Use the mv command to rename and printf to format #

We use the mv command to rename each file. The new name is constructed using printf. The %03d format specifier pads the variable “i” with leading zeros to ensure the numbers have the desired format.

So there you go! With this script, you can quickly and efficiently rename multiple files in your directory with a custom prefix and sequential numbering. It’s a time-saver for tasks like organizing your image files.