Ubuntu script to rename all images in folder

Question

I am using the following code to rename all the images in the current folder:

a=1
for i in *.jpg; do
  new=$(printf "%04d.jpg" ${a}); #04 pad to length of 4
  mv ${i} ${new};
  a=$((a+1));
done

But I have met a problem: some of the images were overwritten, because I use it after I have added more images in the folder. Is there a way to fix this? I thought to add an if (name_exists) then next_name, but I am new to scripts. Any help, please?

If you just want to get the job done, create a sub-directory in current directory, `mv ${i} tmpdir/${new}` & then move all the .jpg files from tmpdir to current directory. (Assuming that there will not be new files getting added in current directiory, while operation is going on. — anishsane, Oct 13 '14 at 11:55
What does it happen if I use the -n flag? Does it nor rename the current file or it does increment a until it finds a possible name? — sop, Oct 13 '14 at 12:05
With the `-n` option, the renaming will just fail, and the file is skipped. — gniourf_gniourf, Oct 13 '14 at 12:58

clt60 · Accepted Answer · 2014-10-13T16:07:20.057

2

You can use:

#!/bin/bash
glob="[0-9][0-9][0-9][0-9].jpg"
last=$(find . -maxdepth 1 -name "$glob" -print |sort -gr |grep -Pom1 '\d{4}') # or  |grep -om1 '[0-9][0-9]*')
last=${last:-0}
while IFS= read -d $'\0' -r image
do
    let last++
    echo mv "$image" "$(printf "%04s" $last ).jpg"
done < <(find . -maxdepth 1 -name \*.jpg -a -not -name "$glob" -print0)

where:

1st find finds the last used number
the while read reads the output from the
2nd find what finds all .jpg what have different name as NNNN.jpg
increment and rename

You can imprpve this

search other types of images (not only jpg)
change the script to case insensitive
the above will fail if the image count raises above 9999... so...

The script is in dry mode, remove the echo when satisfied

EDIT

dash version:

glob="[0-9][0-9][0-9][0-9].jpg"
last=$(find . -maxdepth 1 -name "$glob" -print |sort -gr |grep -Pom1 '\d{4}') # or  |grep -om1 '[0-9][0-9]*')
last=${last:-0}
for image in *.jpg
do
    echo "$image" | grep -q "^$glob$" && continue
    #last=$((last+1))  #with leading zeroes, the numbers treated as octal... fails for 08 and such
    last=$(expr $last + 1)
    echo mv "$image" "$(printf "%04d" $last ).jpg"
done

edited Oct 13 '14 at 16:07

answered Oct 13 '14 at 12:38

clt60

62,119
17
107
194

Why do I get `Syntax error: redirection unexpected`? – sop Oct 13 '14 at 12:48
Still the same error, I think that it is something about my bash, because I had strange error when trying something else (see [these comments](http://stackoverflow.com/a/26213144/3062311)) – sop Oct 13 '14 at 13:02
2

@sop you don't using `bash` but `dash`. If you want `dash` script, don't tag your question as `bash`... The default shell in ubuntu is `dash` not `bash`... omg.. ;( The `Syntax error: redirection unexpected` is an `dash's` error message. – clt60 Oct 13 '14 at 13:03
Thanks for idea. How to do it in dash? :) – sop Oct 13 '14 at 13:14
How to fix this: `7: Illegal number: 0018`? Is it possible to keep the 0s in front? – sop Oct 13 '14 at 14:46
@sop - if you not edited the script - e.g. copy it EXACTLY, you can't have spaces in the destination filename, the `"$(printf "%04d" $last ).jpg"` create a filename **without** any space. – clt60 Oct 13 '14 at 16:06
And it renames only the files that have not the wanted format? – sop Oct 13 '14 at 16:12
@sop - yes. but, please test it yourself. If not doing what you want, leave it - if doing what you want accept it.. ;) The minimal understanding what the script does is needed... – clt60 Oct 13 '14 at 16:15

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 13 '14 at 12:33

0

add the following to your script

a=1
for i in *.jpg; do
    new=$(printf "%04d.jpg" ${a});
    while [ -f ${new} ]
    do
       a=$((a+1));
       new=$(printf "%04d.jpg" ${a});
    done
    mv ${i} ${new};
    a=$((a+1));
done

if you are not too particular about the numbered names. You could use this:

if [ -f ${new} ]
then
    new=$(printf "%04d_%s.jpg" ${a} $(date +'%H_%M_%S'))
fi

instead of while.

answered Oct 13 '14 at 12:33

Satyajit R

72
4

I really like the idea of the date, like this I'll always have a `0001` image. – sop Oct 13 '14 at 12:46
4

This will rename the existing `0001.jpg` to the next avaliable number such `0111.jpg`. The `for` get `0001.jpg` the `while` will search for the next available number and rename it... – novacik Oct 13 '14 at 13:17

Ubuntu script to rename all images in folder

2 Answers2

EDIT