Mass rename several files in sub-folders using Terminal or Automator?

[iCeFuSiOn]

Hi all,

I'm looking to find out if there is a way I can rename several files under a few directories using either Automator or the Terminal.

I have several wallpapers (both JPG and PNG) under separate sub-folders in ~/Pictures/Backgrounds/ (for example, I have "Abstract", "Nature", and "Vector".

How can I rename all of these files in a numerical format (for example, sequentially -- 001.JPG, 002.PNG, 003.JPG), so forth and so on?

Thanks!

 

[karenflower]

Yep, using Automator is perfect for doing batch renaming.

Use the Rename Finder Items action, and the pull-down menu (set to Add Date or Time at the start) will contain lots of options - one of which being Make Sequential.

From there you can customize it to however you prefer. If you save it as an application file, you can simply drag and drop your files onto the icon to change the names.

 

[iCeFuSiOn]

Thanks for the information, works great. I've got another question about Automator -- what is the difference between a Finder plug-in and an Application when saving the Automator workflow?