remove brackets from files name

Question

remove brackets from files name

kaisalhassani (Programmer)

(OP)

22 Sep 16 07:56

Hi

I have files where the name contains brackets. I would like to remove the brackets from the names. I am using ksh.

The files before:-
abc1(1).ctl
abc2(1).ctl
abc3(1).ctl
abc4(1).ctl

I would like to change them to:-
abc1.ctl
abc2.ctl
abc3.ctl
abc4.ctl

Thank you

Kais

feherke (Programmer) · Answer 1 · 2016-09-22 09:01:48

Hi

You wrote "remove the brackets", but in your example you removed the parenthesis and everything between them. This code does the later :

CODE --> Ksh93

for file in *(*)*; do echo mv "$file" "${file//\(*\)}"; done

As it is, this only outputs the commands to rename the files. If satisfied, remove the echo from the code and run it again to actually rename them.

Feherke.
feherke.ga

kaisalhassani (Programmer) · Answer 2 · 2016-09-26 13:35:48

Hi

Thank you for that but I had an error see below.

#for file in *(*)*; do echo mv "$file" "${file//$*$}"; done
sh: "${file//$*$}": The specified substitution is not valid for this command.

feherke (Programmer) · Answer 3 · 2016-09-26 14:40:06

Hi

It works for me with Ksh93 and MirBSD Ksh. I assume you have Ksh88, but I not have that version.

This one works in Dash, so should work in any Bourne-compatible shell :

CODE --> Dash

for file in *(*)*; do echo mv "$file" "`echo "$file" | sed 's/(.*)//'`"; done

But better see if you have rename ( sometimes rename.pl ) from the perl package ( the one from util-linux package replaces only fixed strings, but that one you probably not have anyway ) :

CODE

rename -n 's/\(.*\)//' *(*)*

As it is, this only outputs a list of what would be renamed. If satisfied, remove the -n from the code and run it again to actually rename them.

Feherke.
feherke.ga

kaisalhassani (Programmer) · Answer 4 · 2016-09-27 07:35:48

Hi
Thank you again.
rename command is not available.
I had to amend the above because I have a file without the brackets too.
for file in *(*)*
do
nfile="`echo "$file" | sed 's/(.*)//'`"
if [[ $file != $nfile ]]; then
mv $file $nfile
fi
done

feherke (Programmer) · Answer 5 · 2016-09-27 07:44:50

Hi

Oops. You are right, Kais. Either that, or fix my glob :

CODE

for file in *\(*\)*; do echo mv "$file" "`echo "$file" | sed 's/(.*)//'`"; done

Feherke.
feherke.ga

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remove brackets from files name