A Comprehensive Guide to File Prefix and Suffix Manipulation in Python

Introduction

File manipulation is a crucial aspect of any programming or automation task. Python offers powerful tools to simplify file operations, including renaming files. In this article, we'll explore the use of Python scripts to add and remove prefixes and suffixes from filenames. We'll discuss how each script works, provide practical examples, and demonstrate how to apply them effectively.

Script 1: Adding a Prefix to Filenames

#!/usr/bin/python3
import os

for file in os.listdir('.'):
    old_name = file
    new_name = 'movies-' + file
    if file.endswith('txt'):
        os.rename(old_name, new_name)

This script adds the prefix "movies-" to all text files in the current directory. Here's how it works:

• It iterates through all files in the current directory using os.listdir('.').

• For each file, it checks if it ends with the ".txt" extension.

• If the file meets this condition, it renames it by prepending "movies-" to its original name.

Script 2: Adding a Suffix to Filenames

#!/usr/bin/python3
import os

for file in os.listdir('.'):
    if file.endswith('.txt'):
        old_file = os.path.join('.', file)
        new_file = os.path.join('.', os.path.splitext(file)[0] + '-cartoon' + os.path.splitext(file)[1])
        os.rename(old_file, new_file)

This script adds the suffix "-cartoon" to the base name (without the extension) of all text files in the current directory. Here's how it works:

• It iterates through all files in the current directory using os.listdir('.').

• For each file with the ".txt" extension, it constructs the new name by appending "-cartoon" to the base name (without the extension).

• It then renames the file using os.rename().

Script 3: Removing a Prefix from Filenames

#!/usr/bin/python3
import os

prefix = "movies"
[os.rename(file, file.replace(prefix, "")) for file in os.listdir('.') if file.startswith(prefix)]

This script removes the specified prefix ("movies") from all filenames in the current directory. Here's how it works:

• It defines the prefix variable with the value to be removed.

• It uses a list comprehension to iterate through all files in the current directory (os.listdir('.')) that start with the specified prefix.

• For each file with the prefix, it renames the file by removing the prefix using the str.replace() method.

Script 4: Removing a Suffix from Filenames

#!/usr/bin/python3
import os

suffix = "-cartoon"
for file in os.listdir('.'):
    old_file = os.path.join('.', file)
    new_file = file.replace(suffix, '')
    os.rename(old_file, new_file)

This script removes the specified suffix ("-cartoon") from all filenames in the current directory. Here's how it works:

• It defines the suffix variable with the value to be removed.

• It iterates through all files in the current directory using os.listdir('.').

• For each file, it constructs the new name by removing the suffix using the str.replace() method.

• It then renames the file using os.rename().

Conclusion

Python's os module provides powerful tools for renaming files with ease. By understanding and utilizing scripts like the ones presented in this article, you can efficiently manipulate filenames in your programming and automation tasks. Whether you need to add or remove prefixes and suffixes, these scripts provide valuable techniques for managing your files effectively.

Feel free to access the codebase by cloning the Git repository, which is available at the following Github URL