Script to rename txt files based on text contents in file

Try using:

tell application "Finder"

repeat with this_file in (get files of (choose folder))

set the_text to read (this_file as alias)

set the_offset to offset of "ABC_" in the_text

if the_offset is not 0 then

set name of this_file to items the_offset thru (the_offset + 14) of the_text as string

end if

end repeat

end tell

(128046)

Another alternative is a bash script that can be wrapped in an Automator Action:

The Run Shell Script Action is:

for f in "$@"
do
  n=$( grep -E -o -m1 '[A-Z]{3}_[0-9]{3}_[0-9]{3}_[0-9]{3}' "$f" )
  if [ $? -eq 0 ] ; then
       p=${f%/*}
       mv "$f" "$p/$n"
  fi
done

Note: If the file already exists (i.e. two different files containing the file number ABC_101_102_103, the file will be overwritten)

To prevent overwriting of a file if there are two different files containing the same file number:

for f in "$@"
do
  n=$( grep -E -o -m1 '[A-Z]{3}_[0-9]{3}_[0-9]{3}_[0-9]{3}' "$f" )
  if [ $? -eq 0 ] ; then
       p=${f%/*}
       if [ ! -f "$p/$n" ]; then
            mv "$f" "$p/$n"
       fi
  fi
done

leannamiiso wrote:

For fun, I may also play around with your method Tony in the case that I want to run it as part of a workflow.

You can also use Neil's solution in an Automator Workflow with a Run Applescript Action.