Renaming .png files python

Question

Beginner question:

I am trying to rename .png files using:

import os

os.rename('x.png','y.png')

The error I get is:

WindowsError: [Error 2] The system cannot find the file specified.

I am in the right directory, and so are the files.The strange this is, if I manually rename the file (for example to 'h.png') and use that variable name in the rename command, it does work.

I am confused...

Possible duplicate of [WindowsError: \[Error 2\] The system cannot find the file specified](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/5324107/windowserror-error-2-the-system-cannot-find-the-file-specified) — TDG, Aug 08 '18 at 10:31
This is not related to duplicate name, the error for duplicate is FileExistsError: [WinError 183] Cannot create a file when that file already exists: 'x.png' -> 'y.png' — Yakir GIladi Edry, Aug 08 '18 at 10:32
probably you are working on directory with some permissions. have you tried to change directory? — Yakir GIladi Edry, Aug 08 '18 at 10:36
*“if I manually rename the file and use that variable name in the rename command”* – What do you mean with that? — poke, Aug 08 '18 at 10:42
@robbah So you mean to say `os.rename('h.png','y.png')` *does* work? — Adi219, Aug 08 '18 at 10:57
probably you are working on directory with some permissions. have you tried to change directory? — Yakir GIladi Edry, Aug 08 '18 at 11:04
it seems as if the file needs to be edited first before being recognized by python? note: this is a file that I downloaded — robbah, Aug 08 '18 at 11:06

score 0 · Answer 1 · edited Aug 08 '18 at 11:01

0

Why don't you use the shutil module?

import shutil
shutil.move('x.png','y.png')

But, be careful it doesn't rename your file but cut it with another name.

edited Aug 08 '18 at 11:01

Adi219

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answered Aug 08 '18 at 10:41

Me.

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Adi219 · Accepted Answer · 2018-08-08T11:07:35.517

0

It's most likely that you got the Can't find file error because 'x.png' isn't the absolute path.

Explicitly call path and os.path.join(path, filename) prior to calling the rename and it will work.

Try this:

os.rename(os.path.join(os.getcwd(), 'x.png'), 'y.png')

edited Aug 08 '18 at 11:07

answered Aug 08 '18 at 10:49

Adi219

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but he said that he is on the right directory, on my pc it's working from the same place, with no absolute path. – Yakir GIladi Edry Aug 08 '18 at 10:53
what do I enter at path? path('location of folder') ? – robbah Aug 08 '18 at 11:00
@robbah Try `os.rename(os.path.join(os.getcwd(), 'x.png'), 'y.png')` – Adi219 Aug 08 '18 at 11:07
@Adi219 also doesn't work, however if I manually (right mouse click - rename) change the name and enter the name in that line, it does work! – robbah Aug 08 '18 at 11:14

Renaming .png files python

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