How to change multiple file names in a directory using Python

Question

I am learning Python and I was instructed:

• adding "file_" to the beginning of each name in the directory
• extension change (currently the directory contains 4 different types: .py, .TEXT, .rtf, .text)

I have many files, all with different names, each of 7 characters. I was able to change the extensions, but it feels very awkward. I am sure there is a cleaner way to write the following (but its functioning, so no complaints about this note):

    import os, sys
    path = 'C:/Users/dana/Desktop/text_files_2/'
        for filename in os.listdir(path):
            if filename.endswith('.rtf'):
                newname = filename.replace('.rtf', '.txt')
                os.rename(filename, newname)
        elif filename.endswith('.py'):
                newname = filename.replace('.py', '.txt')
                os.rename(filename, newname)
        elif filename.endswith('.TEXT'):
                newname = filename.replace('.TEXT', '.txt')
                os.rename(filename, newname)
        elif filename.endswith('.text'):
               newname = filename.replace('.text', '.txt')
               os.rename(filename, newname)

I still have a problem:

• The script must currently be inside my directory to run it.
  

• I can’t figure out how to add “file_” to the beginning of each of the file names [you think this will be the easy part]. I tried to declare newname as

  newname = 'file_' + str(filename)
  

  it indicates that the file name is undefined.

.

Answer 1

- , .

os.path.splitext(p) , : os.path.splitext('hello.world.aaa.txt') ['hello.world.aaa', '.txt'], .

, :

import os
import sys

path = 'C:/Users/dana/Desktop/text_files_2/'

for filename in os.listdir(path):
    filename_splitext = os.path.splitext(filename)
    if filename_splitext[1] in ['.rtf', '.py', '.TEXT', '.text']:
        os.rename(os.path.join(path, filename), 
                os.path.join(path, 'file_' + filename_splitext[0] +  '.txt'))

Answer 2

os.path.join():

os.rename(os.path.join(path, filename), os.path.join(name, newname))

.

:

extensions = ['.rtf', '.py', '.TEXT', '.text']
for extension in extensions:
     if filename.endswith(extension):
         newname = filename.replace(extension, '.txt')
         os.rename(os.path.join(path, filename), os.path.join(path, newname))
         break

elif .

Answer 3

import os, sys
path = 'data' // Initial path

def changeFileName( path, oldExtensions, newExtension ):
    for name in os.listdir(path):
        for oldExtension in oldExtensions:
            if name.endswith(oldExtension):
                name = os.path.join(path, name)
                newName = name.replace(oldExtension, newExtension)
                os.rename(name, newName)
                break;

if __name__ == "__main__":
    changeFileName( 'data', ['.py', '.rtf' , '.text', '.TEXT'], '.txt')

.

Answer 4

import glob, os

path = 'test/'# your path
extensions = ['.rtf', '.py', '.TEXT', '.text']
for file in glob.glob(os.path.join(path, '*.*')):
    file_path, extension = os.path.splitext(file)
    if extension in extensions:
        new_file_name = '{0}.txt'.format(
            os.path.basename(file_path)
        )
    if not new_file_name.startswith('file_'): # check if file allready has 'file_' at beginning
        new_file_name = 'file_{0}'.format( # if not add 
                new_file_name
        )

    new_file = os.path.join(
            os.path.dirname(file_path),
            new_file_name
    )

    os.rename(file, new_file)

• file_path, extension = os.path.splitext(file) f.e ('dir_name/file_name_without_extension','.extension')
• os.path.dirname(file_path) f.e, file_path dir1/dir2/file.ext result 'dir1/dir2'
• os.path.basename(file_path)