simple renaming files program

[blur959]

Hi, all, I am working on a simple program that renames files based on
the directory the user gives, the names the user searched and the
names the user want to replace. However, I encounter some problems.
When I try running the script, when it gets to the os.rename part,
there will be an error. The error is :
n = os.rename(file, file.replace(s, r))
WindowsError: [Error 2] The system cannot find the file specified

I attached my code below, hope you guys can help me, Thanks!

import os
directory = raw_input("input file directory")
s = raw_input("search for name")
r = raw_input("replace name")

for file in os.listdir(directory):
n = os.rename(file, file.replace(s, r))
print n

 

[Chris Rebert]

Hi, all, I am working on a simple program that renames files based on
the directory the user gives, the names the user searched and the
names the user want to replace. However, I encounter some problems.
When I try running the script, when it gets to the os.rename part,
there will be an error. The error is :
 n = os.rename(file, file.replace(s, r))
WindowsError: [Error 2] The system cannot find the file specified

I attached my code below, hope you guys can help me, Thanks!

import os
directory = raw_input("input file directory")
s = raw_input("search for name")
r = raw_input("replace name")

for file in os.listdir(directory):
   n = os.rename(file, file.replace(s, r))
   print n

os.rename() takes paths that are absolute (or possibly relative to the
cwd), not paths that are relative to some arbitrary directory (as
returned by os.listdir()).
Also, never name a variable "file"; it shadows the name of the built-in type.

Hence (untested):
from os import listdir, rename
from os.path import isdir, join
directory = raw_input("input file directory")
s = raw_input("search for name")
r = raw_input("replace name")

for filename in listdir(directory):
path = join(directory, filename) #paste the directory name on
if isdir(path): continue #skip subdirectories (they're not files)
newname = filename.replace(s, r)
newpath = join(directory, newname)
n = rename(path, newpath)
print n

Cheers,
Chris

 

[Ulrich Eckhardt]

Hi, all, I am working on a simple program that renames files based on
the directory the user gives, the names the user searched and the
names the user want to replace. However, I encounter some problems.
When I try running the script, when it gets to the os.rename part,
there will be an error. The error is :
n = os.rename(file, file.replace(s, r))
WindowsError: [Error 2] The system cannot find the file specified

I see that you are using os.listdir(), so the files should be present, but
still, I would consider checking that when I encounter this error.

I attached my code below, hope you guys can help me, Thanks!

import os
directory = raw_input("input file directory")
s = raw_input("search for name")
r = raw_input("replace name")

for file in os.listdir(directory):
n = os.rename(file, file.replace(s, r))
print n

Looks good so far, but what are the values in s, r, file and the result of
file.replace(s, r) for the case that fails? Also, as a side note,
help(os.rename) doesn't document any returnvalue to store in n, but that
doesn't seem to be the problem.

Uli

 

[Peter Otten]

Hence (untested):
from os import listdir, rename
from os.path import isdir, join
directory = raw_input("input file directory")
s = raw_input("search for name")
r = raw_input("replace name")

for filename in listdir(directory):
path = join(directory, filename) #paste the directory name on
if isdir(path): continue #skip subdirectories (they're not files)
newname = filename.replace(s, r)
newpath = join(directory, newname)
n = rename(path, newpath)
print n

Warning: I don't remember how Windows handles this, but unix will happily
perform os.rename("alpha/alpha.txt", "beta/beta.txt") and overwrite
beta/beta.txt with alpha/alpha.txt.

I'd rather modify the filename before joining it with the directory.

newname = filename.replace(s, r)
if newname != filename:
path = os.path.join(directory, filename)
newpath = os.path.join(directory, newname)
os.rename(path, newpath)

If you don't you run the risk of operating in unexpected directories.

Peter

 

[blur959]

Hi, all, I am working on a simple program that renames files based on
the directory the user gives, the names the user searched and the
names the user want to replace. However, I encounter some problems.
When I try running the script, when it gets to the os.rename part,
there will be an error. The error is :
 n = os.rename(file, file.replace(s, r))
WindowsError: [Error 2] The system cannot find the file specified

I attached my code below, hope you guys can help me, Thanks!

import os
directory = raw_input("input file directory")
s = raw_input("search for name")
r = raw_input("replace name")

for file in os.listdir(directory):
   n = os.rename(file, file.replace(s, r))
   print n

os.rename() takes paths that are absolute (or possibly relative to the
cwd), not paths that are relative to some arbitrary directory (as
returned by os.listdir()).
Also, never name a variable "file"; it shadows the name of the built-in type.

Hence (untested):
from os import listdir, rename
from os.path import isdir, join
directory = raw_input("input file directory")
s = raw_input("search for name")
r = raw_input("replace name")

for filename in listdir(directory):
    path = join(directory, filename) #paste the directory name on
    if isdir(path): continue #skip subdirectories (they're not files)
    newname = filename.replace(s, r)
    newpath = join(directory, newname)
    n = rename(path, newpath)
    print n

Cheers,
Chris
--http://blog.rebertia.com

Thanks, they worked!

 

[Dave Angel]

Thanks, they worked!

A refinement: use os.path.join(), rather than just join(). It's
smarter about adding the right kind of slash between the nodes, if
needed. Currently, if you leave off the trailing slash (from
"directory"), you'll end up with the files being one level up, and the
individual files having a string prepended.

DaveA

 

[MRAB]

A refinement: use os.path.join(), rather than just join(). It's
smarter about adding the right kind of slash between the nodes, if
needed. Currently, if you leave off the trailing slash (from
"directory"), you'll end up with the files being one level up, and the
individual files having a string prepended.

Have a look at the imports, Dave.

 

[Dave Angel]

Have a look at the imports, Dave.

Oops. I should have noticed that it was a function call, not a
method. And there's no built-in called join(). I just usually avoid
using this kind of alias, unless performance requires.

thanks for keeping me honest.

DaveA

 

[Chris Rebert]

Warning: I don't remember how Windows handles this, but unix will happily
perform os.rename("alpha/alpha.txt", "beta/beta.txt") and overwrite
beta/beta.txt with alpha/alpha.txt.

I'd rather modify the filename before joining it with the directory.

Er, unless I'm really missing something, that's what my code already
does. Perhaps you misread it? The replace() clearly happens before the
2nd join(). I took special care to account for and avoid the potential
problem you're talking about.

Cheers,
Chris

 

[Peter Otten]

Er, unless I'm really missing something, that's what my code already
does. Perhaps you misread it? The replace() clearly happens before the
2nd join(). I took special care to account for and avoid the potential
problem you're talking about.

You're right. Sorry for the confusion.

Peter