Emacs Dired rename many files

Question

How to rename from:

VAR1_1F_text.txt
VAR2_1F_text.txt
VAR3_2F_text.txt

to

1F_VAR1_text.txt
1F_VAR2_text.txt
2F_VAR3_text.txt

How to switch parts of filenames?

Josejosee

Answer 1

This can easily be done using dired:

1. Enter a dired view of your directory

2. Switch to writable dired mode (wdired-change-to-wdired-mode): C-xC-q

3. Edit the file names listing as if it were a normal buffer (for example using a keyboard macro or a rectangular selection or query-replace). Here is a regexp-based solution:

   C-M-%\(VAR.\)_\(..\)RET\2_\1RET

4. Finish editing (wdired-finish-edit): C-xC-s or C-cC-c

You're done!

Thermoelectrometer

You can also do it without WDired, just mark files you need with m (or * s to mark all files in buffer) and run % R to rename with regexp. – Chloras

The wdired method is a bit easier to work with b/c if you have something like run-foo.sh, foo.conf and init-foo-script and you wanted to replace foo with bar, it is simpler to just do a replace in the buffer than concoct a regex that matches the correct value and properly replaces it. That said, in the described scenario, % R does seem like it'd work just fine. – Fancie

Is there nothing emacs can't do? – Paramagnetic

How could I possibly have missed WDired for 20 years? Such a time saver! Thank you, @Francesco – Xylophone

Just if anyone uses spacemacs you can enter the wdired-change-to-wdired-mode using <leader> b w as in (buffer write) my <leader> is space for Evil mode. – Tinder

Answer 2

You could also use Magnar Sveen's multiple-cursors from here, github link.

Switch to writable dired, select the files you want to rename, M-x mc/edit-lines. This should create multiple cursor each with its own kill history.

Eustache

Answer 3

This technique, which I discovered on the internet, is highly beneficial. It enables you to perform various actions with emacs macros, including editing text files.

Basically what you see as text file save with C-x C-s.

Alt+x dired to go to the directory.
Alt+x dired-toggle-read-only 【Ctrl+x Ctrl+q】.
Then, just edit the file names. (You can use Alt+x query-replace or Alt+x query-replace-regexp [see Emacs: Find Replace in Current File] or rectangle commands. [see Emacs: Edit Column Text, Rectangle Commands])
When done, wdired-finish-edit 【Ctrl+c Ctrl+c】 to commit the changes.

To abort, Alt+x w dired-abort-changes 【Ctrl+c Ctrl+k】

Reference: http://xahlee.info/emacs/emacs/rename_file_pattern.html

Fulgurite