[CLUE-Tech] removing spaces from filenames?

[Matt Gushee]

On Sun, Nov 17, 2002 at 01:14:22PM -0700, Dave Price wrote:
> 
> I have a _bunch_ of files that were created on a windoze system with
> embedded spaces in their names.  Can anyone recommend a technique to
> programmatically rename the files - replacing ' ' with '_' on both the
> file and dir names?
> 
> I am thinking perl, but I am not sure what sysntax I would need to use
> to search and rename.

Well, IANAPH (I Am Not A Perl Hacker), but here's how you would do it in
Python:

#!/usr/bin/env python

import os, string

# This is untested, so back up your stuff first!
# Also, I'm assuming you want it to be recursive.
# Should work for all directories, regular files, and 
# symlinks. Could raise unhandled exception in case of
# sockets, device files, or anything unwritable.
#
# Usage: <script_name> <directory>
def space2_(dir):
    contents = os.listdir(dir)
    for i in range(len(contents)):
        contents[i] = os.path.join(dir,contents[i])
    subdirs = filter(lambda f: os.path.isdir(f), contents)
    for s in subdirs:
        space2_(s)
    for f in contents:
        newname = string.replace(f, ' ', '_')
        os.rename(f, newname)

## This 'if' statement detects that the current module is being invoked
## directly (rather than imported as a library).
if __name__ == '__main__':
    import sys
    # Probably should have exception handling, but this is a quick 'n'
    # dirty script.
    start_dir = sys.argv[1]
    space2_(start_dir)
    
-- 
Matt Gushee                 When a nation follows the Way,
Englewood, Colorado, USA    Horses bear manure through
mgushee at havenrock.com           its fields;
http://www.havenrock.com/   When a nation ignores the Way,
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                                its streets.
                                
                            --Lao Tzu (Peter Merel, trans.)