Fix Filenames Script

This script renames files in the current directory to ensure they have clean, consistent, and cross-platform friendly filenames. It addresses common issues with special characters, extra dots, and unsupported symbols that can cause issues on certain filesystems.

Features

• Removes or replaces problematic characters (like colons :, accents, and special symbols).
• Converts spaces ( ) to underscores (_) for better cross-platform compatibility.
• Preserves file extensions correctly (e.g., .mp3 stays intact).
• Prevents the script itself (fix_filenames.sh) from being renamed.
• Ensures filenames contain only letters, numbers, underscores (_), and hyphens (-).

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Usage

1. Download the script and place it in the directory containing the files you want to rename.
2. Make the script executable using the following command:

   chmod +x fix_filenames.sh

3. Run the script in the directory with the files you want to clean up:

   ./fix_filenames.sh

4. The script will rename all files in the current directory and print the changes to the console.

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Example

Before Running the Script:

01 J. Strauss II: Overture Die Fledermaus - arr. Winter.mp3
02 Elgar: Variations on an Original Theme, Op.36 "Enigma" - arr. Wright - Nimrod.mp3
17 Dvoř�ák: 8 Slavonic Dances, Op.46 - Arr. D.Wright - 8. No.8 in G minor.mp3
fix_filenames.sh

After Running the Script:

01_J_Strauss_II-_Overture_Die_Fledermaus_-_arr_Winter.mp3
02_Elgar-_Variations_on_an_Original_Theme_Op36_Enigma_-_arr_Wright_-_Nimrod.mp3
17_Dvorak-_8_Slavonic_Dances_Op46_-_Arr_DWright_-_8_No8_in_G_minor.mp3
fix_filenames.sh (not renamed)

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Script Walkthrough

1. Skip Renaming the Script

   if [ "$file" == "fix_filenames.sh" ]; then
       continue
   fi

   The script checks if the file is itself (fix_filenames.sh) and skips it to avoid accidental renaming.

2. Separate File Name and Extension

   base="${file%.*}"
   extension="${file##*.}"

   This splits the filename into two parts:

   • base: the part of the filename before the last dot.
   • extension: the part after the last dot (e.g., mp3, txt, jpg).

3. Clean the Filename

   newbase=$(echo "$base" | \
       sed 's/[:]/-/g' | \
       sed 'y/řáéíóúýčďěňšťů/raeiouycdentsu/' | \
       sed 's/ /_/g' | \
       sed 's/[^a-zA-Z0-9_-]//g' \
   )

   This part does several cleanup steps:

   • Replace colons (:) with dashes (-).
   • Convert accented characters (like ř to r, á to a, etc.) to plain ASCII characters.
   • Replace spaces ( ) with underscores (_).
   • Remove any characters that are not letters, numbers, hyphens (-), or underscores (_).

4. Remove Extra Dots from Filename (Not Extension)

   newbase=$(echo "$newbase" | sed 's/\.//g')

   This removes any unnecessary dots from the base name.

5. Recombine Filename and Extension

   newfile="${newbase}.${extension}"

   The cleaned filename is then reassembled with its original extension.

6. Rename the File

   if [ "$file" != "$newfile" ]; then
       mv "$file" "$newfile"
       echo "Renamed: '$file' -> '$newfile'"
   fi

   If the new filename is different from the original, the file is renamed, and the change is printed to the console.

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Full Script

#!/bin/bash

for file in *; do
    # Skip renaming this script itself
    if [ "$file" == "fix_filenames.sh" ]; then
        continue
    fi

    # Separate the filename from its extension
    base="${file%.*}"
    extension="${file##*.}"

    # Clean up the base name
    newbase=$(echo "$base" | \
        sed 's/[:]/-/g' | \
        sed 'y/řáéíóúýčďěňšťů/raeiouycdentsu/' | \
        sed 's/ /_/g' | \
        sed 's/[^a-zA-Z0-9_-]//g' \
    )

    # Remove extra dots from the filename (dots should not be in the base name)
    newbase=$(echo "$newbase" | sed 's/\.//g')

    # Combine the new base with the original extension
    newfile="${newbase}.${extension}"

    # Rename the file only if the new name is different
    if [ "$file" != "$newfile" ]; then
        mv "$file" "$newfile"
        echo "Renamed: '$file' -> '$newfile'"
    fi

done

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Limitations

• The script assumes that the file extension is correct and does not validate it.
• It works only on files in the current directory.
• Files with identical cleaned filenames may overwrite each other (e.g., file1.txt and file-1.txt both becoming file1.txt).

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License

This script is open-source and licensed under the MIT License. You are free to use, modify, and distribute it as needed.

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Contributing

If you'd like to improve this script, feel free to open a pull request or issue on the GitHub repository.

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If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to open an issue or submit a pull request. Happy coding! 😎