Python os.rename and os.walk together

Question

I just wrote a python script to get rid of some annoying suffixes in filenames,

here's my code:

import os

for root, dirs, files in os.walk("path"):

    for filename in files:

        if filename.endswith("[AnnoyingTag].mov"):

            os.rename(filename, filename[:-18]+'.mov')

but I got the error in the last line:

OSError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory

I am pretty sure that I have the right path because I can print out all filenames correctly.

...really have no idea why this can't work.

Thanks for your answers

Haemato

list(os.walk("path")) – Balderdash

Why don't you print the filename before calling rename? Try to debug. – Dogear

I did and it prints out all the filenames correctly. I tried type(filename), and they all return strings. – Haemato

Answer 1

You can replace

os.rename(filename, filename[:-18]+'.mov')

with

os.rename(root + os.sep + filename, root + os.sep + filename[:-18]+'.mov')

Selfknowledge

Thanks!! It works. but may I ask further why the original code would work? – Haemato

In os.rename function, you have to give the full path, otherwise it search the file in the directory where your script is invoked. I'm not very sure what 'why the original code would work' you meant. – Selfknowledge

Oh I mean wouldn't. Thanks for the explanation, I learned a lot – Haemato

Answer 2

The preferred way to join paths is to use os.path.join, change this line:

os.rename(filename, filename[:-18]+'.mov')

Replace it with this:

os.rename(os.path.join(root, filename), os.path.join(root, filename[:-18]+'.mov'))

Urissa

Thanks!! It works. but may I ask further why the original code would work? – Haemato

Answer 3

Fixed:

import os

for root, dirs, files in os.walk("path"):
    for filename in files:
        if filename.endswith("[AnnoyingTag].mov"):
            os.rename(root+'\\'+filename, root+'\\'+filename[:-18]+'.mov')

I think your problem is that the files you're renaming aren't in the current working directory.

Centrosphere