Re: Changing file names with "--" to "-" recursively

[ken <gebser@mousecar.com>]

On 02/21/2021 01:45 AM, Jean Louis wrote:
> * wael-zwaiter@gmx.com <wael-zwaiter@gmx.com> [2021-02-21 06:07]:
>> I have a lot of files and want to change "--" to "-".
>>
>> Am using
>>
>> rename 's/--/-/g' *
>>
>> on the current directory.
>>
>> How can I recursively go through all sub directories and do the
>> changes for files only.
> The command:
>
> $ rename 's/--/-/g' *
>
> does not work on my side as it works on yours, maybe it is different
> software.
>
> You do as following in the top directory:
>
> for i in $(find . -type f -iname "*--*"); do mv $i $(echo $i | sed -e "s/--/-/"); done
>
> You may alias the command to:
>
> alias renamedashes='for i in $(find . -type f -name "*--*"); do mv $i $(echo $i | sed -e "s/--/-/"); done'
>
> and invoke it with
>
> $ renamedashes
>
> in future.
>

This is very good, especially making it into an alias.  Two small 
improvements perhaps:

First, check to see if a file with the new name doesn't already exist... 
for if it does, it would be overwritten and lost. Changing "mv" to "mv 
-i"  would also notify the user of such events.

Secondly, unfortunately some filenames may contain whitespace.  In such 
a case the mv command will give unexpected results.  So the arguments to 
mv should be quoted.

hth