Close. It is a Perl program/script, but your assumptions were correct:
RENAME(1) Perl Programmers Reference Guide
> RENAME(1)
>
> NAME
> rename - renames multiple files
>
> SYNOPSIS
> rename [ -v ] [ -n ] [ -f ] perlexpr [ files ]
>
> DESCRIPTION
> "rename" renames the filenames supplied according to the rule
> specified
> as the first argument. The perlexpr argument is a Perl expression
> which is expected to modify the $_ string in Perl for at least some
> of
> the filenames specified. If a given filename is not modified by the
> expression, it will not be renamed. If no filenames are given on
> the
> command line, filenames will be read via standard input.
>
>
On Tue, Sep 11, 2012 at 11:04 AM, Paul Mooring <
paul@opscode.com> wrote:
> I don't have the original conversation, but I would assume rename is a
> script taking 2 arguments. The first a regex to replace the title and the
> second the file list. This would mean rename is the script to be executed,
> the regex is as I described before and the *.JPG would shell expand to any
> file whose name ends in '*.JPG'.
> --
> Paul Mooring
> Systems Engineer and Customer Advocate
>
> www.opscode.com
>
> From: Michael Havens <bmike1@gmail.com>
> Reply-To: Main discussion list <plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us>
> Date: Tuesday, September 11, 2012 10:47 AM
>
> To: Main discussion list <plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us>
> Subject: Re: find and replace
>
> So the full string I was given is:
>
> rename 's/\.JPG$/.jpg/' *.JPG
>
> So what does the *.JPG do? If you 's(earch)/string/(replace)string' then
> what is the need for *JPG?
> :-)~MIKE~(-:
>
>
> On Tue, Sep 11, 2012 at 9:49 AM, Paul Mooring <paul@opscode.com> wrote:
>
>> When you do search and replace, the replace section is literal not a
>> pattern match. So piece by piece:
>> s/ # This means match the first section and replace with the second
>> \.JPG$/ # This means a literal '.' at any point in the string followed
>> by 'JPG' then the end of the line
>> .jpg/ # This is the string to replace the previous regex with '.jpg'
>> --
>> Paul Mooring
>> Systems Engineer and Customer Advocate
>>
>> www.opscode.com
>>
>> From: Michael Havens <bmike1@gmail.com>
>> Reply-To: Main discussion list <plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us>
>> Date: Tuesday, September 11, 2012 9:42 AM
>> To: Main discussion list <plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us>
>> Subject: Re: find and replace
>>
>> Hate to resurrect old stuff but in
>>
>> rename 's/\.JPG$/.jpg/' *.JPG
>>
>> is this saying to s(earch)/(for the string).JPG$/(replace with).jpg/ ?
>> Why does one not need the escape character (\) before the period here or
>> before the final JPG? What does the *.JPG at the end signify?
>> :-)~MIKE~(-:
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Feb 21, 2012 at 7:32 AM, Sam Kreimeyer <skreimey@gmail.com>wrote:
>>
>>> Here's a pdf of a quick guide to regular expressions
>>>
>>> http://www.addedbytes.com/download/regular-expressions-cheat-sheet-v1/pdf/
>>>
>>> Basically, it's a format for defining search patterns that supports
>>> special meanings for certain characters. For instance:
>>>
>>> a - finds any string like "a"
>>> a. - finds any string like "a" plus any other character except a new
>>> line (matches "aa", "ab", "ac", etc)
>>> a.* - finds any string like "a" plus zero or more characters except a
>>> new line (matches "aa", "abcdefghijk")
>>> Other special characters can further modify this behavior.
>>>
>>> So here's an explanation of the earlier command.
>>>
>>> 's/\.JPG$/.jpg/' *.JPG
>>>
>>> Basic search and replace format s/[string we search for]/[string to
>>> replace matches with]/
>>>
>>> "\.JPG$" - Because "." is special, we escape it with "\" to keep the
>>> regex from interpreting it, so the "." will be treated literally. "JPG" is
>>> what we're looking for. Placing a "$" at the end of the string tells the
>>> regex to match the string only at the end of the strings you're searching.
>>> This means that you will match "example.JPG" but not "JPG.example".
>>>
>>> ".jpg" - This is our replacement string. This is what goes in the place
>>> of every match we find.
>>>
>>> "*.JPG" - while this isn't part of the regex, "*" is a wildcard (can be
>>> substituted for any number of characters).
>>>
>>> Hope that helps!
>>>
>>> ---------------------------------------------------
>>> PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
>>> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings:
>>> http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss
>>>
>>
>>
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>>
>
>
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--
Dazed_75 a.k.a. Larry
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%0A>%20>%0A>%20>%0A>%20>%0A>%20>%0A>%20>%0A>%20On%20Tue,%20Sep%2011,%202012%20at%2011:04%20AM,%20Paul%20Mooring%20<paul@opscode.com>%20wrote:%0A>%20%0A>%20>%20%20%20I%20don't%20have%20the%20original%20conversation,%20but%20I%20would%20assume%20rename%20is%20a%0A>%20>%20script%20taking%202%20arguments.%20%20The%20first%20a%20regex%20to%20replace%20the%20title%20and%20the%0A>%20>%20second%20the%20file%20list.%20%20This%20would%20mean%20rename%20is%20the%20script%20to%20be%20executed,%0A>%20>%20the%20regex%20is%20as%20I%20described%20before%20and%20the%20*.JPG%20would%20shell%20expand%20to%20any%0A>%20>%20file%20whose%20name%20ends%20in%20'*.JPG'.%0A>%20>%20%20--%0A>%20>%20Paul%20Mooring%0A>%20>%20Systems%20Engineer%20and%20Customer%20Advocate%0A>%20>%0A>%20>%20%20www.opscode.com%0A>%20>%0A>%20>%20%20%20From:%20Michael%20Havens%20<bmike1@gmail.com>%0A>%20>%20Reply-To:%20Main%20discussion%20list%20<plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us>%0A>%20>%20Date:%20Tuesday,%20September%2011,%202012%2010:47%20AM%0A>%20>%0A>%20>%20To:%20Main%20discussion%20list%20<plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us>%0A>%20>%20Subject:%20Re:%20find%20and%20replace%0A>%20>%0A>%20>%20%20%20So%20the%20full%20string%20I%20was%20given%20is:%0A>%20>%0A>%20>%0A>%20>%20%20So%20what%20does%20the%20*.JPG%20do?%20If%20you%20's(earch)/string/(replace)string'%20then%0A>%20>%20what%20is%20the%20need%20for%20*JPG?%0A>%20>%20:-)~MIKE~(-:%0A>%20>%0A>%20>%0A>%20>%20On%20Tue,%20Sep%2011,%202012%20at%209:49%20AM,%20Paul%20Mooring%20<paul@opscode.com>%20wrote:%0A>%20>%0A>%20>>%20%20%20When%20you%20do%20search%20and%20replace,%20the%20replace%20section%20is%20literal%20not%20a%0A>%20>>%20pattern%20match.%20%20So%20piece%20by%20piece:%0A>%20>>%20s/%20#%20This%20means%20match%20the%20first%20section%20and%20replace%20with%20the%20second%0A>%20>>%20%5C.JPG%24/%20%20#%20This%20means%20a%20literal%20'.'%20at%20any%20point%20in%20the%20string%20followed%0A>%20>>%20by%20'JPG'%20then%20the%20end%20of%20the%20line%0A>%20>>%20.jpg/%20#%20This%20is%20the%20string%20to%20replace%20the%20previous%20regex%20with%20'.jpg'%0A>%20>>%20%20--%0A>%20>>%20Paul%20Mooring%0A>%20>>%20Systems%20Engineer%20and%20Customer%20Advocate%0A>%20>>%0A>%20>>%20%20www.opscode.com%0A>%20>>%0A>%20>>%20%20%20From:%20Michael%20Havens%20<bmike1@gmail.com>%0A>%20>>%20Reply-To:%20Main%20discussion%20list%20<plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us>%0A>%20>>%20Date:%20Tuesday,%20September%2011,%202012%209:42%20AM%0A>%20>>%20To:%20Main%20discussion%20list%20<plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us>%0A>%20>>%20Subject:%20Re:%20find%20and%20replace%0A>%20>>%0A>%20>>%20%20Hate%20to%20resurrect%20old%20stuff%20but%20in%0A>%20>>%0A>%20>>%0A>%20>>%20%20is%20this%20saying%20to%20s(earch)/(for%20the%20string).JPG%24/(replace%20with).jpg/%20?%0A>%20>>%20Why%20does%20one%20not%20need%20the%20escape%20character%20(%5C)%20before%20the%20period%20here%20or%0A>%20>>%20before%20the%20final%20JPG?%20What%20does%20the%20*.JPG%20at%20the%20end%20signify?%0A>%20>>%20:-)~MIKE~(-:%0A>%20>>%0A>%20>>%0A>%20>>%20On%20Tue,%20Feb%2021,%202012%20at%207:32%20AM,%20Sam%20Kreimeyer%20<skreimey@gmail.com>wrote:%0A>%20>>%0A>%20>>>%20Here's%20a%20pdf%20of%20a%20quick%20guide%20to%20regular%20expressions%0A>%20>>>%0A>%20>>>%20http://www.addedbytes.com/download/regular-expressions-cheat-sheet-v1/pdf/%0A>%20>>>%0A>%20>>>%20Basically,%20it's%20a%20format%20for%20defining%20search%20patterns%20that%20supports%0A>%20>>>%20special%20meanings%20for%20certain%20characters.%20For%20instance:%0A>%20>>>%0A>%20>>>%20a%20-%20finds%20any%20string%20like%20%22a%22%0A>%20>>>%20a.%20-%20finds%20any%20string%20like%20%22a%22%20plus%20any%20other%20character%20except%20a%20new%0A>%20>>>%20line%20(matches%20%22aa%22,%20%22ab%22,%20%22ac%22,%20etc)%0A>%20>>>%20a.*%20-%20finds%20any%20string%20like%20%22a%22%20plus%20zero%20or%20more%20characters%20except%20a%0A>%20>>>%20new%20line%20(matches%20%22aa%22,%20%22abcdefghijk%22)%0A>%20>>>%20Other%20special%20characters%20can%20further%20modify%20this%20behavior.%0A>%20>>>%0A>%20>>>%20So%20here's%20an%20explanation%20of%20the%20earlier%20command.%0A>%20>>>%0A>%20>>>%20's/%5C.JPG%24/.jpg/'%20*.JPG%0A>%20>>>%0A>%20>>>%20Basic%20search%20and%20replace%20format%20s/%5Bstring%20we%20search%20for%5D/%5Bstring%20to%0A>%20>>>%20replace%20matches%20with%5D/%0A>%20>>>%0A>%20>>>%20%22%5C.JPG%24%22%20-%20Because%20%22.%22%20is%20special,%20we%20escape%20it%20with%20%22%5C%22%20to%20keep%20the%0A>%20>>>%20regex%20from%20interpreting%20it,%20so%20the%20%22.%22%20will%20be%20treated%20literally.%20%22JPG%22%20is%0A>%20>>>%20what%20we're%20looking%20for.%20Placing%20a%20%22%24%22%20at%20the%20end%20of%20the%20string%20tells%20the%0A>%20>>>%20regex%20to%20match%20the%20string%20only%20at%20the%20end%20of%20the%20strings%20you're%20searching.%0A>%20>>>%20This%20means%20that%20you%20will%20match%20%22example.JPG%22%20but%20not%20%22JPG.example%22.%0A>%20>>>%0A>%20>>>%20%22.jpg%22%20-%20This%20is%20our%20replacement%20string.%20This%20is%20what%20goes%20in%20the%20place%0A>%20>>>%20of%20every%20match%20we%20find.%0A>%20>>>%0A>%20>>>%20%22*.JPG%22%20-%20while%20this%20isn't%20part%20of%20the%20regex,%20%22*%22%20is%20a%20wildcard%20(can%20be%0A>%20>>>%20substituted%20for%20any%20number%20of%20characters).%0A>%20>>>%0A>%20>>>%20Hope%20that%20helps!%0A>%20>>>%0A>%20>>>%20---------------------------------------------------%0A>%20>>>%20PLUG-discuss%20mailing%20list%20-%20PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us%0A>%20>>>%20To%20subscribe,%20unsubscribe,%20or%20to%20change%20your%20mail%20settings:%0A>%20>>>%20http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss%0A>%20>>>%0A>%20>>%0A>%20>>%0A>%20>>%20---------------------------------------------------%0A>%20>>%20PLUG-discuss%20mailing%20list%20-%20PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us%0A>%20>>%20To%20subscribe,%20unsubscribe,%20or%20to%20change%20your%20mail%20settings:%0A>%20>>%20http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss%0A>%20>>%0A>%20>%0A>%20>%0A>%20>%20---------------------------------------------------%0A>%20>%20PLUG-discuss%20mailing%20list%20-%20PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us%0A>%20>%20To%20subscribe,%20unsubscribe,%20or%20to%20change%20your%20mail%20settings:%0A>%20>%20http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss%0A>%20>%0A>%20%0A>%20%0A>%20%0A>%20--%20%0A>%20Dazed_75%20a.k.a.%20Larry%0A>%20%0A>%20Please%20protect%20my%20address%20like%20I%20protect%20yours.%20When%20sending%20messages%20to%0A>%20multiple%20recipients,%20always%20use%20the%20BCC:%20(Blind%20carbon%20copy)%20and%20not%20To:%20or%0A>%20CC:.%20Remove%20all%20addresses%20from%20the%20message%20body%20before%20sending%20a%20Forwarded%0A>%20message.%20This%20can%20prevent%20spy%20programs%20capturing%20addresses%20from%20the%0A>%20recipient%20list%20and%20message%20body.%0A>%20---------------------------------------------------%0A>%20PLUG-discuss%20mailing%20list%20-%20PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us%0A>%20To%20subscribe,%20unsubscribe,%20or%20to%20change%20your%20mail%20settings:%0A>%20http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss 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