Linux Tip - Rename set of files

To rename a set of files to a name starting with a particular pattern (here the pattern is taken to be to start the filename with "MyFile_"

files = `ls -1`;for file in $files; do mv $file MyFile_$file ; done

Dissection:

1. ls -1
• ls is the command in linux to list the files in the present directory
• The parameter -1 will list one file a line
• "files" is a variable which has the list of all the files listed by the command ls -1


2. files = `ls -1`
• save the result of ls -1 to a variable called files
• Remember to put the command inside a pair of back ticks ` (the key is generally found just before the key "1" in the keyboard)
• Significance of ` (backtick)


3. for file in $files
• Loop through each file name available in the variable files


4. do mv $file MyFile_$file; done (The do - done loop)
• Executes the command given after do
• End the do with a done