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I have to rename directories under the root directory with prefix "ms_PF" and then rename their subdirectories with the modified name of the main directory with an extra "_", and then copy all directories and their subs to root as follows:

root maindir1 maindir2 subdir1 subdir2 subdir3

maindir1 and maindir2 to be renamed with prefix "ms_PF_" and copied direct to root, because maindir2 has subdirectories they will carry the new name of maindir2 which is ms_PF_maindir2 plus and underscor (_) then all subs will be copied to root as follows:

ms_PF_maindir1 ms_PF_maindir2_subdir1 ms_PF_maindir2_subdir2 ms_PF_maindir2_subdir3

Assistance in this matter is highly appreciated. My attempted solution is something like this, but it actually needs fixing:

root_dir="/dwn/icbu_dwn/LL" prefix="ms_PF_" do_it () { awk '{ print "mv $root_dir $prefix ${root_dir/\//_}" }' | sh } find "$root_dir" -depth -type d | do_it
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  • Also posted on Stack Overflow. Please don't post the same question on multiple Stack Exchange sites. Commented Mar 8, 2013 at 15:57
  • The ${root_dir/\//_} substitution requires bash/zsh/ksh -- probably won't work with plain sh. Commented Mar 9, 2013 at 0:37
  • Thanks Glenn for your comment, and my apologies for posting the same question on another Stack Exchange site as my intention was to resolve a pressing issue that was unwillingly accepted. Is there another method or version of ${root_dir/\//_} that would work with plain sh? Your input is really precious to me. Many thanks. Commented Mar 9, 2013 at 8:28

2 Answers 2

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If it is only a few directories, do it by hand (anything else will be more work in writing/debugging than in doing).

If it is a largeish set, use find(1) to create a list of the affected files, and use your favorite editor to transform that into a script doing the moving. Check it for mistakes, and fire away.

If even larger/repetitive, I'd do essentially the same as the above, but do the "edit the path into the new name" by sed(1) on-the-fly. Perhaps even called directly from find. Would make a nice one-liner to scare newbies witless...

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This will do the renaming in the right order. Note the trailing slash in the first pattern limits the matches to directories.

cd root for dir in maindir*/*/ maindir*; do echo mv $dir ms_PF_${dir/\//_} done

outputs

mv maindir2/subdir1/ ms_PF_maindir2_subdir1/ mv maindir2/subdir2/ ms_PF_maindir2_subdir2/ mv maindir2/subdir3/ ms_PF_maindir2_subdir3/ mv maindir1 ms_PF_maindir1 mv maindir2 ms_PF_maindir2
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  • Thank you Glenn for your promptness and sincere help. In fact, I ran your script as it is with modifying root and maindir values, but got "${root/...}: Bad substitution". Any suggestions? Commented Mar 8, 2013 at 7:07
  • Please put your code up in the question so you can format it properly Commented Mar 8, 2013 at 13:38
  • Sorry Glenn for the mess I made in your solution. However, I put my attempted script up in the question as you asked; hope it makes sense in concept, but it does need to be looked into. I do appreciate your help, thank you. Commented Mar 8, 2013 at 15:33
  • @terry If you're satisfied with glenn's script, remove the echo to actually perform the moves. Commented Mar 8, 2013 at 16:00
  • Thanks Gilles, I've actually done so getting the same msg: ${dir/...}: Bad substitution. Due to having to do this task, I've been reading a lot as my main expertise is in mobile tech! So any assistance is highly appreciated. Commented Mar 8, 2013 at 16:22

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