Rename files only when matching regex

[Kali]

I want to move some specific files that match a reg ex an only those

I couldn't figure it out and used a work around
1) rename all files matching the reg-ex to 00x, then using Numbering(10) to add a number to all files
2) The moved all files starting in 00x manually (windows explorer sort is fast for 10000+ files)
3) remove the added numbers with Remove(5) from remaining files

This works, but the massive downside is that I use the original filenames.


How do I work with (2)-(11) only on files that match RegEx(1) ?

[Kali]

I set a $5 bounty on this

[Kali]

Too complex, too easy, or no one here?

[Admin]

Hi , is this file move or file copy?
How are you doing this step:

Code: Select all

rename all files matching the reg-ex to 00x

thanks

[Stefan]

Any renamer will work on matching regex only, and will skip non-matching files.
It is up to the user to develop a working regex, and/or maybe separate his
file into "working groups" and perform more than one renaming action.
So this is a feature per se. Isn't it?



 

[Admin]

Sorry , I am not sure I understood the requirements....

[Kali]

What I need to do
I have a directory with a couple thousand files
I need to take some of those files and move them to a different directory
The files which I need to move match a certain regex which I managed to build.

What I have done
My work-around so far has been to rename the files that match the regex (that is what the tool allows me to do) to something lexicographically low (like 00x). Then inside windows explorer I sort by name, and just move the top files.


So yes, I have a working reg ex. But I would like to move those files, not just rename them.

[Kali]

The problem with the workaround is that I lose the original file names, which is a problem for the end user

[Admin]

Hi, you could use a file copy program like ViceVersa PRO to move files based on regex, see:
http://www.tgrmn.com
thanks

[Kali]

Thanks.

That costs some money though. BRU can interprety reg-ex and move files, why not both

[Kali]

Solution Found

Using windows power shell this can be done
It's cumbersome to understand the syntax, but once I got it, it works like charm

http://superuser.com/questions/149537/windows-file-copy-move-with-filename-regular-expressions

[freddef]

Have the similar problem with regex and I have been using sh, awk and sed for 34 years, but is not perl users. Perl regex is fixing something never broken.

Saw an older answer with a similar problem, but when seeing the solution (http://www.bulkrenameutility.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2529#p6649) I get a bit frustrated.

I have the regex "__???m" and want to remove it with a simple blank in the "Replace", like in "s/__???m//g"

Why have to \1\3 or what ever to solv my problem? It is to overdo it. If Perl is behind the tool, why not do that interpretation in the code of Bulk Renamer? Simplify for the non-Perl users?

Cheers
Fredde