Get the Perl rename utility instead of the built-in rename

Question

Many sites (including various SO articles) talk about using "rename" using Perl expressions to rename files.

This would be perfect, but apparently this is not the rename utility I have, and none of these articles seem to comprehend that there are multiple versions of "rename" and I can't seem to find where to get version that accepts Perl expressions.

How can I get my hands on the more powerful rename utility mentioned here, here, and here?

I'm running Fedora 20. My current rename command is from the util-linux package and apparently I need the Perl version, which is better.

Answer 1

I can only speak for Debian. The two programs are called

• /usr/bin/rename.ul from the util-linux package (hence the .ul suffix)
• /usr/bin/prename from the perl package

The actual rename command works via the /etc/alternatives mechanism, whereby

• /usr/bin/rename is a symlink to /etc/alternatives/rename
• /etc/alternatives/rename is a symlink to /usr/bin/prename

The same problem has been bugging me on Cygwin, which is a Red Hat product, so should be more similar to Fedora. I'll have a look on my company laptop on Monday. And I remember the Perl-rename having worked there sometimes. Probably before I installed util-linux.

If you install the Perl-rename to /usr/local/bin it will have precedence over rename from util-linux. Same goes for the manpage when installed to /usr/local/share/man/man1/.

I've just created a separate Perl-rename package on Github: https://github.com/subogero/rename

Answer 2

You can install it using cpan, which is the perl repository similar to pip for python.

Here is a tutorial on using cpan.

If you try to run rename it it looks like this

rename --help
call: rename from to files...

To install the perl rename you can do the following. You might need to install a few dependencies, you can generally just push enter

cpan
cpan1> install File::Rename
CPAN: Storable loaded ok (v2.20)
Going to read '/root/.cpan/Metadata'
Database was generated on Wed, 30 Sep 2015 08:17:02 GMT
Running install for module 'File::Rename'
....
Running Build install
Installing /usr/local/share/man/man1/rename.1
Installing /usr/local/share/perl5/File/Rename.pm
Installing /usr/local/share/man/man3/File::Rename.3pm
Installing /usr/local/bin/rename
Writing /usr/local/lib64/perl5/auto/File/Rename/.packlist
RMBARKER/File-Rename-0.20.tar.gz
./Build install -- OK

That is how you would install the rename from cpan.
Next is to get it working on your system. As you might have more then one rename installed.

which rename  
/usr/bin/rename  

When you actually want this one.

/usr/local/bin/rename --help
Usage:
    rename [ -h|-m|-V ] [ -v ] [ -n ] [ -f ] [ -e|-E *perlexpr*]*|*perlexpr*
    [ *files* ]

Options:
    -v, -verbose
            Verbose: print names of files successfully renamed.

    -n, -nono
            No action: print names of files to be renamed, but don't rename.

    -f, -force
            Over write: allow existing files to be over-written.

    -h, -help
            Help: print SYNOPSIS and OPTIONS.

    -m, -man
            Manual: print manual page.

    -V, -version
            Version: show version number.

    -e      Expression: code to act on files name.

            May be repeated to build up code (like "perl -e"). If no -e, the
            first argument is used as code.

    -E      Statement: code to act on files name, as -e but terminated by
            ';'.

I just put it into /usr/bin/ but with a slight different name to make sure I did not break any existing scripts / programs the depend on the old one.

ln -s /usr/local/bin/rename /usr/bin/rename.pl

Answer 3

I had to do the following:

# In bash
sudo yum install perl-CPAN
sudo cpan

# In CPAN shell
install Module::Build
install File::Rename