modify filename string section

[shuoli]

Hi

I want to modify a recurring string section in all file names under the same older.

e.g. $HOME/Desktop/Data/
..
center_PR_2_0.4.dat
data_PR_2_0.4.dat

center_PR_2_0.6.dat
data_PR_2_0.6.dat
...

to


..
center_PRO_2_0.4.dat
data_PRO_2_0.4.dat

center_PRO_2_0.6.dat
data_PRO_2_0.6.dat
...
Not too sure where to start with a shell script.

SHuo

[secondmouse]

Try this script first

#!/bin/bash
DIR=~/Desktop/data
find $DIR -name "*PR*dat"| while read f; do
  NEWNAME=`dirname $f`/`basename "$f" | sed 's/PR/PRO/'`
  echo mv "$f" "$NEWNAME"
done

It it shows exactly what you want, remove the echo from the script.

[shuoli]

I applied the script and it replaces files in a random manner - at least on the print screen. However I checked the folder content and the file names haven't changed at all.

[secondmouse]

echo in my previous post is just to show you what action will be taken. Now try this one.

#!/bin/bash
DIR=~/Desktop/data
find $DIR -name "*PR*dat"| while read f; do
  NEWNAME=`dirname $f`/`basename "$f" | sed 's/PR/PRO/'`
  mv "$f" "$NEWNAME"
done

[shuoli]

Thanks, now its working. Hoe can I print to the screen while it's modifying the filenames by the way?

[secondmouse]

#!/bin/bash
DIR=~/Desktop/data
find $DIR -name "*PR*dat"| while read f; do
NEWNAME=`dirname $f`/`basename "$f" | sed 's/PR/PRO/'`
echo renaming "$f" to "$NEWNAME"
mv "$f" "$NEWNAME"
done