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Hi,
I'm trying to use automator to create a batch program that reads folders (and subfolders) that will add in the current date YYMMDD style to all the filenames in the folder. I found a way to do YYYYMMDD but I don't want that and can't figure out how to get rid of the 20-part of the year. Any help would be much appreciated!
Try using this Run Shell Script Action in your Automator Workflow:
today=$(date +%y%m%d)
for f in "$@"
do
basename=${f##*/}
filename=${basename%.*}
path=${f%/*}
ext=${f##*.}
newfilename="$filename"_"$today"
mv "$f" "$path"/"$newfilename"."$ext"
done
This is possible within Automator, albeit a bit messy.
Use 'Rename Finder Items' action in Automator to add the date in native Automator YYYYMMDD format before the file name.
Use 'Rename Finder Items' action to add an unusual word or string of characters (e.g. 'potato') directly before the file name and newly added date (this will be directly before the '20' in '2017') directly
Use the 'Replace text' function to isolate the unusual word / set of characters followed directly by '20' (e.g. find; 'potato20') and replace it with [leave text box empty] which will delete it, leaving behind only YYMMDD.
Possibly a better way using only Automator, this is what I did anyway.
Yeah, my problem is that 20 could be in the file name, I need a way to get it to XXXXX_YYMMDD.ZZZ and zzz wont always be the same number of characters. XXXXX could have 20 or 2017 in it. I don't want to cheat it, I need a way to remove just the 20 from 2017 or 2018 next year.
This is simpler to do in AppleScript.
Use Script Editor.app to save this script as an application, then drop the files/folders on it to have them renamed.
You can edit the script to rename the files in any way you want.
on open of theFiles
-- Executed when files are dropped on the script
set d to current date
set yy to text -2 through -1 of (year of d as text)
set mm to text -2 through -1 of ("0" & (month of d as integer))
set dd to text -2 through -1 of ("0" & (day of d))
set datestring to yy & mm & dd
repeat with aFile in theFiles
tell application "Finder"
set name of aFile to datestring & "_" & (get name of aFile)
end tell
end repeat
end open
Just add another Rename Finder Items Action and replace " 20" with " "
(this will fail if you have a filename with " 20" in it)
Maybe not simpler (AppleScript is less efficient than bash), but it is another way 🙂
Ha! I actually meant simpler than Automator since I hadn't seen your shell solution at the time, although I do maintain that AppleScript is easier to follow than bash 😉
Agreed, Applescript is easier to follow (but sometimes I enjoy the obtuseness of bash 🙂)
😎
Using automator to add date in YYMMDD format.
