Script to rename, reorder, add, and remove files/directories in a directory with a numerical naming scheme.
Python 3.6 or newer is required to run the script.
Copy reorder.py to ~/bin or some other folder in your $PATH. Optionally you can rename the file reorder.
$ cp reorder.py ~/bin/reorder
usage: reorder [-h] [-a] [-n] [-v] [-d] [-f FORM] [-u] [-l FILTER]
[-s {none,-,_, }]
directory
Script to rename, reorder, add, and remove files/directories in a directory
with a numerical naming scheme. Run the program and provide a directory with
the numbered files/directories. A text buffer will be opened with the current
files/directories in the folder using the editor specified by the EDITOR
environment variable. If EDITOR is not set, Vim will be used by default.
Reorder, rename, add, or delete files in the buffer. Do not change the
numbered part of the file/directory name; these numbers will be recalculated
and are used to match renamed files/directories. Save and exit the editor.
Then the program with perform the operations to the files/directories in the
directory. To cancel the operation, save an empty buffer.
positional arguments:
directory The target directory
optional arguments:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
-a, --add Add unnumbered files to numbering
-n, --nono Do not make changes
-v, --verbose Verbose output
-d, --directory Operate on directories instead of files
-f FORM, --format FORM
Number of leading 0
-u, --update Force rename all files
-l FILTER, --filter FILTER
Filter string for files/directories. This is
represented as a single string containing a space-
separated list of filters operated on with logical or
-s {none,-,_, }, --separator {none,-,_, }
Character to separate the number from the
file/directory name. The none option will either
choose whatever is already used in the directory or
default to _
Say I had the following directory:
chapters/
├── conclusion.tex
├── first_topic.tex
├── future_work.tex
├── introduction.tex
└── second_topic.tex
To rename the files using a numerical numbering scheme I can run reorder -a chapters.
I am then presented with the buffer:
conclusion.tex
first_topic.tex
future_work.tex
introduction.tex
second_topic.tex
I then change the buffer to
introduction.tex
first_topic.tex
second_topic.tex
future_work.tex
conclusion.tex
save and exit.
The directory now looks like:
chapters/
├── 1_introduction.tex
├── 2_first_topic.tex
├── 3_second_topic.tex
├── 4_future_work.tex
└── 5_conclusion.tex
Let's say I now want to delete the future work chapter, add an abstract, and reorder the first and second topic.
First launch the reorder program again with reorder chapters. I am presented with the buffer:
1_introduction.tex
2_first_topic.tex
3_second_topic.tex
4_future_work.tex
5_conclusion.tex
I then change the buffer to
abstract.tex
1_introduction.tex
3_second_topic.tex
2_first_topic.tex
5_conclusion.tex
save and exit. The directory now looks like:
chapters
├── 1_abstract.tex
├── 2_introduction.tex
├── 3_second_topic.tex
├── 4_first_topic.tex
└── 5_conclusion.tex
By default, the minimum number of leading 0's is used, so in the case above, I use no leading 0's.
Suppose I would like a number width field of 2 for the leading number.
I run reorder -f 2 chapters and am presented with the buffer:
1_abstract.tex
2_introduction.tex
3_second_topic.tex
4_first_topic.tex
5_conclusion.tex
I then change the buffer to
1_abstract.tex
2_introduction.tex
4_first_topic.tex
3_second_topic.tex
5_conclusion.tex
save and exit. The directory now looks like:
chapters
├── 1_abstract.tex
├── 2_introduction.tex
├── 03_first_topic.tex
├── 04_second_topic.tex
└── 5_conclusion.tex
But wait. Why didn't 1_abstact.tex, 2_introduction.tex, and 5_conclusion.tex get changed to use 2 digits?
This happens because only renamed and added files are updated to use this number of digits.
If I want to force update all files, I can run reorder -u -f 2 chapters and I'll be presented with the buffer:
1_abstract.tex
2_introduction.tex
03_first_topic.tex
04_second_topic.tex
5_conclusion.tex
I then simply save and exit. The directory now looks like:
chapters
├── 01_abstract.tex
├── 02_introduction.tex
├── 03_first_topic.tex
├── 04_second_topic.tex
└── 05_conclusion.tex
By default, the separator already used for files in a given directory is used.
If no files are already numbered, _ is used to separate the number from the filename.
Say I wanted to change the separator to use - instead of _.
I run the command reorder -f 2 -u -s - chapters. I am presented with this buffer
01_abstract.tex
02_introduction.tex
03_first_topic.tex
04_second_topic.tex
05_conclusion.tex
I then simply save and exit. The directory now looks like:
chapters
├── 01-abstract.tex
├── 02-introduction.tex
├── 03-first_topic.tex
├── 04-second_topic.tex
└── 05-conclusion.tex
It's worth noting that the -f 2 is still required to maintain that formatting.
Let's say I now have a more complex directory that looks like:
dir
├── a.png
├── b.png
├── c.png
├── new.txt
├── temp.txt
└── y.jpg
Perhaps I only want to number the *.png files, so the -a flag by itself will not help us.
If I want to do this operation, I run reorder -al png dir.
I am presented with the following buffer:
a.png
b.png
c.png
I simply save and exit. The directory now looks like:
dir
├── 1_a.png
├── 2_b.png
├── 3_c.png
├── new.txt
├── temp.txt
└── y.jpg
Now I've decided that I really meant to number all the pictures, which includes the *.png files and the *.jpg files.
To do this, I run reorder -al "png jpg" dir.
I am presented with the following buffer:
1_a.png
2_b.png
3_c.png
y.jpg
I simply save and exit. The directory now looks like:
dir
├── 1_a.png
├── 2_b.png
├── 3_c.png
├── 4_y.jpg
├── new.txt
└── temp.txt
Say I want the *.txt files in an independent numbered list.
I run reorder -al "txt" dir.
I am presented with the following buffer:
new.txt
temp.txt
I simply save and exit. The directory now looks like:
dir
├── 1_new.txt
├── 2_temp.txt
├── 1_a.png
├── 2_b.png
├── 3_c.png
└── 4_y.jpg
It's worth noting that the -l command simply tries to match any of the space-separated substrings it is given, so it does not merely have to be the file extension.
If I run reorder -al temp dir, I am presented with the buffer:
2_temp.txt
Lastly, all of these options can be applied the same way for use on directories instead of files using the -d flag.
Thank you to Jonathan Ambrose who helped come up with the idea for the script and added several additional features to the script.