Hello,
This is probably an easy one, but anyone have an applescript that will change "_" to "-" in filename. Want to use it as a folder action. Much appreciated!!
MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Yosemite (10.10.5)
Use Automator.
When opened select Folder Action
Then select Files and Folder -> Rename Finder Items
Then in the drop-down menu select: Replace Text
I thought file names did not like the -
Always better off with the _
Maybe this is only when uploading to a server?
I have been using - in file names for at least 10 years now. I don't think it is an issue with file servers/Unix/Windows either.
Yes, I know automator can do it, but I need a script. Here's the thing: I need a script to attach to a ChronSync document, so that as ChronoSync syncs folders to it's destination it will also run a script to rename the folders automatically. So I don't have to go back in and do it manually using automator. The thing is, the files that need renaming end up in subfolders, so if I used a folder action to attach to the root level folder, it would have to drill down and apply the filename changed to all files within all subfolders.
Anyone?? Thanks for the help!
Yes, i've found - is pretty universal. That said, so is _. But I have a naming convention that uses - and I like to keep things super consistent 🙂
c.g.yogi wrote:
Yes, I know automator can do it, but I need a script. Here's the thing: I need a script to attach to a ChronSync document, so that as ChronoSync syncs folders to it's destination it will also run a script to rename the folders automatically. So I don't have to go back in and do it manually using automator. The thing is, the files that need renaming end up in subfolders, so if I used a folder action to attach to the root level folder, it would have to drill down and apply the filename changed to all files within all subfolders.
Anyone?? Thanks for the help!
That Automator is a Folder Action.
Anyway, here's a bash script:
#!/bin/bash
for f in ~/Desktop/untitled\ folder/*
do
path=${f%/*}
basename=${f##*/}
name=${basename%.*}
ext=${f##*.}
name=${name//_/-}
mv "$f" "$path/$name.$ext"
done
To use in Applescript, just use do shell script
You can adapt this for a Folder Action
See also: http://www.macosxautomation.com/applescript/sbrt/sbrt-06.html
A sub-routine for replacing characters in strings:
on replace_chars(this_text, search_string, replacement_string)
set AppleScript's text item delimiters to the search_string
set the item_list to every text item of this_text
set AppleScript's text item delimiters to the replacement_string
set this_text to the item_list as string
set AppleScript's text item delimiters to ""
return this_text
end replace_chars
leroydouglas wrote:
I thought file names did not like the -
Always better off with the _
The Finder does not like : (colon).
Shell commands do not like / (forward slash).
If you use the Finder change a name to something like file/type, and you look at it in a Terminal session, you will see file:type
And if you use a shell command to create file:type, it will appear as file/type in the finder.
The original Mac OS used : as a directory separator, and Unix always used / as a directory separator.
The separator is not actually stored on disk (except in symbolic links, but that is more like data). I think the OS X Framework libraries for accessing the file system maintain the original Mac OS : separator notation, and the Unix libraries and system calls maintain the / separator notation.
I do now know what the low level file system API's really accept, and what the application APIs need to convert on the fly before a file name path is passed to the low level file system.
replace _ with - in file name with applescript
