https://github.com/novoid/appendfilename

Intelligent appending text to file names, considering file extensions and file tags
https://github.com/novoid/appendfilename

files filesystem personal-information-management pim shell

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Intelligent appending text to file names, considering file extensions and file tags

• Host: GitHub
• URL: https://github.com/novoid/appendfilename
• Owner: novoid
• License: gpl-3.0
• Created: 2013-05-16T21:00:08.000Z (over 11 years ago)
• Default Branch: master
• Last Pushed: 2022-01-12T10:16:37.000Z (almost 3 years ago)
• Last Synced: 2024-09-30T00:46:34.534Z (about 2 months ago)
• Topics: files, filesystem, personal-information-management, pim, shell
• Language: Python
• Size: 704 KB
• Stars: 50
• Watchers: 5
• Forks: 7
• Open Issues: 6
• Metadata Files:
  • Readme: README.org
  • License: license.txt

Awesome Lists containing this project

README

        
* appendfilename.py

#+BEGIN_HTML







#+END_HTML

[[file:bin/screencast.gif]]

This Python script adds a string to a file name. The string gets added

between the original file name and its extension.

In case the file name contains tags as handled as with [[https://github.com/novoid/filetag][filetag]], the

string gets added right before the separator between file name and

tags.

Examples for adding the string "new text":

| *old file name*                        | *new file name*                                 |

|----------------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------|

| a simple file.txt                      | a simple file new text.txt                      |

| a simple file -- foo bar.txt           | a simple file new text -- foo bar.txt           |

| 2013-05-09.jpeg                        | 2013-05-09 new text.jpeg                        |

| 2013-05-09T16.17.jpeg                  | 2013-05-09T16.17 new text.jpeg                  |

| 2013-05-09T16.17_img_00042.jpeg        | 2013-05-09T16.17_img_00042 new text.jpeg        |

| 2013-05-09T16.17_img_00042 -- fun.jpeg | 2013-05-09T16.17_img_00042 new text -- fun.jpeg |

- *Target group*: users who are able to use command line tools and who

  are using tags in file names.

- Hosted on github: https://github.com/novoid/appendfilename

** Why

Besides the fact that I am using [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iso_date][ISO dates and times]] in file names (as

shown in examples above), I am using tags with file names. To separate

tags from the file name, I am using the four separator characters:

space dash dash space.

For people familiar with [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regex][Regular Expressions]]:

: ()?  -- .extension

For tagging, please refer to [[https://github.com/novoid/filetag][filetag]] and its documentation.

If I want to add a descriptive file name to files like , e.g. ,

photographs, I have to rename the original file and insert the

description at the right spot of the existing file name.

This is an error-prone task. If I am not careful, I can overwrite

parts of the old file name I wanted to keep. Or I could mess up

spacing between the old file name, tags, and the new description.

Therefore, I wrote this script that adds a description to the file

name without removing old file name parts or tags.

You may like to add this tool to your image or file manager of

choice. I added mine to [[http://geeqie.sourceforge.net/][geeqie]] which is my favorite image viewer on

GNU/Linux.

** Usage

: appendfilename --text foo a_file_name.txt

... adds "foo" such that it results in ~a_file_name foo.txt~

: appendfilename a_file_name.txt

... (implicit) interactive mode: asking for the string to add from the user

: appendfilename --text "foo bar" "file name 1.jpg" "file name 2 -- foo.txt" "file name 3 -- bar.csv"

... adds tag "foo" such that it results in ...

: "file name 1 foo bar.jpg"

: "file name 2 foo bar -- foo.txt"

: "file name 3 foo bar -- bar.csv"

For a complete list of parameters, please try:

: appendfilename --help

The file names within the current working directory is read in and all

found words can be completed via TAB.

-----------------------

#+BEGIN_SRC sh :results output :wrap src

./appendfilename/__init__.py --help

#+END_SRC

#+BEGIN_src

Usage:

    appendfilename [] 

This tool inserts text between the old file name and optional tags or file extension.

Text within file names is placed between the actual file name and

the file extension or (if found) between the actual file namd and

a set of tags separated with " -- ".

  Update for the Boss  .pptx

  2013-05-16T15.31.42 Error message  -- screenshot projectB.png

When renaming a symbolic link whose source file has a matching file

name, the source file gets renamed as well.

Example usages:

  appendfilename --text="of projectA" "the presentation.pptx"

      ... results in "the presentation of projectA.pptx"

  appendfilename "2013-05-09T16.17_img_00042 -- fun.jpeg"

      ... with interactive input of "Peter" results in:

          "2013-05-09T16.17_img_00042 Peter -- fun.jpeg"

:copyright: (c) 2013 or later by Karl Voit 

:license: GPL v3 or any later version

:URL: https://github.com/novoid/appendfilename

:bugreports: via github or 

:version: 2019-10-19

Options:

  -h, --help            show this help message and exit

  -t TEXT, --text=TEXT  the text to add to the file name

  -p, --prepend         Do the opposite: instead of appending the text,

                        prepend the text

  --smart-prepend       Like "--prepend" but do respect date/time-stamps:

                        insert new text between "YYYY-MM-DD(Thh.mm(.ss))" and

                        rest

  -s, --dryrun          enable dryrun mode: just simulate what would happen,

                        do not modify file(s)

  -v, --verbose         enable verbose mode

  -q, --quiet           enable quiet mode

  --version             display version and exit

#+END_src

** Installation

Get it from [[https://github.com/novoid/appendfilename][GitHub]] or install it via =pip install appendfilename=

** Smart Prepend

Although =appendfilename= was created mainly to /add text at the end

of a file name/, it may also insert text at the beginning of a file

name using the =--prepend= parameter.

A variance of that is =--smart-prepend=. Following examples

demonstrate the effects on smart prepending "new text" with various

file names:

: new text foo bar.txt

: 2019-10-20 new text foo bar.txt

: 2019-10-20T12.34 new text foo bar.txt

: 2019-10-20T12.34.56 new text foo bar.txt

As you can see, =--smart-prepend= does take into account that a given

date/time-stamp according to [[https://github.com/novoid/date2name][date2name]] and [[https://karl-voit.at/managing-digital-photographs/][this article]] will always

stay the first part of a file name, prepending the "new text" between

the date/time-stamp and the rest.

* Integration Into Common Tools

** Integration into Windows File Explorer

The easiest way to integrate =appendfilename= into File Explorer

("Send to" context menu) is by using [[https://github.com/novoid/integratethis][integratethis]].

Execute this in your command line environment:

: pip install appendfilename integratethis

: integratethis appendfilename --confirm

*** Windows File Explorer for single files (manual method)

Use this only if the [[https://github.com/novoid/integratethis][integratethis]] method can not be applied:

Create a registry file =add_appendfilename_to_context_menu.reg= and edit it

to meet the following template. Please make sure to replace the paths

(python, =USERNAME= and =appendfilename=) accordingly:

#+BEGIN_EXAMPLE

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

;; for files:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\appendfilename]

@="appendfilename (single file)"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\appendfilename\command]

@="C:\\Python36\\python.exe C:\\Users\\USERNAME\\src\\appendfilename\\appendfilename\\__init__.py -i \"%1\""

#+END_EXAMPLE

Execute the reg-file, confirm the warnings (you are modifying your

Windows registry after all) and cheer up when you notice "appendfilename

(single file)" in the context menu of your Windows Explorer.

As the heading and the link name suggests: [[https://stackoverflow.com/questions/6440715/how-to-pass-multiple-filenames-to-a-context-menu-shell-command][this method works on single

files]]. So if you select three files and invoke this context menu item,

you will get three different filetag-windows to tag one file each.

*** Windows File Explorer for single and multiple selected files (manual method)

Use this only if the [[https://github.com/novoid/integratethis][integratethis]] method can not be applied:

Create a batch file in your home directory. Adapt the paths to meet

your setup. The content looks like:

: C:\Python36\python.exe C:\Users\USERNAME\src\appendfilename\appendfilename\__init__.py -i %*

If you want to confirm the process (and see error messages and so

forth), you might want to append as well following line:

: set /p DUMMY=Hit ENTER to continue ...

My batch file is located in =C:\Users\USERNAME\bin\appendfilename.bat=. Now

create a lnk file for it (e.g., via Ctrl-Shift-drag), rename the lnk

file to =appendfilename.lnk= and move the lnk file to

=~/AppData/Roaming/Microsoft/Windows/SendTo/=.

This way, you get a nice entry in your context menu sub-menu "Send to"

which is also correctly tagging selection of files as if you put the

list of selected items to a single call of appendfilename.

** Integrating into Geeqie

I am using [[http://geeqie.sourceforge.net/][geeqie]] for browsing/presenting image files. After I

mark a set of images for adding file name descriptions, I just have to

press ~a~ and I get asked for the input string. After entering the string and

RETURN, the filenames are modified accordingly.

Using GNU/Linux, this is quite easy accomplished. The only thing that

is not straight forward is the need for a wrapper script. The wrapper

script does provide a shell window for entering the tags.

~vk-appendfilename-interactive-wrapper-with-gnome-terminal.sh~ looks like:

#+BEGIN_SRC sh

#!/bin/sh

/usr/bin/gnome-terminal \

    --geometry=73x5+330+5  \

    --hide-menubar \

    -x /home/vk/src/appendfilename/appendfilename/__init__.py "${@}"

#end

#+END_SRC

In ~$HOME/.config/geeqie/applications~ I wrote two desktop files such

that geeqie shows the wrapper scripts as external editors to its

image files:

~$HOME/.config/geeqie/applications/add-tags.desktop~ looks like:

: [Desktop Entry]

: Name=appendfilename

: GenericName=appendfilename

: Comment=

: Exec=/home/vk/src/misc/vk-appendfilename-interactive-wrapper-with-gnome-terminal.sh %F

: Icon=

: Terminal=true

: Type=Application

: Categories=Application;Graphics;

: hidden=false

: MimeType=image/*;video/*;image/mpo;image/thm

: Categories=X-Geeqie;

In order to be able to use the keyboard shortcuts ~a~, you can define them in geeqie:

1. Edit > Preferences > Preferences ... > Keyboard.

2. Scroll to the bottom of the list.

3. Double click in the ~KEY~-column of ~appendfilename~

   and choose your desired keyboard shortcut accordingly.

I hope this method is as handy for you as it is for me :-)

** Integration into Thunar

[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunar][Thunar]] is a popular GNU/Linux file browser for the xfce environment.

Unfortunately, it is rather complicated to add custom commands to

Thunar. I found [[https://askubuntu.com/questions/403922/keyboard-shortcut-for-thunar-custom-actions][a good description]] which you might want to follow.

To my disappoinment, even this manual confguration is not stable

somehow. From time to time, the IDs of ~$HOME/.config/Thunar/uca.xml~

and ~$HOME/.config/Thunar/accels.scm~ differ.

For people using Org-mode, I automated the updating process (not the

initial adding process) to match IDs again:

Script for checking "tag": do it ~tag-ID~ and path in ~accels.scm~ match?

: #+BEGIN_SRC sh :var myname="tag"

: ID=`egrep -A 2 "$myname" $HOME/.config/Thunar/uca.xml | grep unique-id | sed 's#.*##' | sed 's#<.*$##'`

: echo "$myname-ID of uca.xml: $ID"

: echo "In accels.scm: "`grep -i "$ID" $HOME/.config/Thunar/accels.scm`

: #+END_SRC

If they don't match, following script re-writes ~accels.scm~ with the current ID:

: #+BEGIN_SRC sh :var myname="tag" :var myshortcut="t"

: ID=`egrep -A 2 "$myname" $HOME/.config/Thunar/uca.xml | grep unique-id | sed 's#.*##' | sed 's#<.*$##'`

: echo "appending $myname-ID of uca.xml to accels.scm: $ID"

: mv $HOME/.config/Thunar/accels.scm $HOME/.config/Thunar/accels.scm.OLD

: grep -v "\"$myshortcut\"" $HOME/.config/Thunar/accels.scm.OLD > $HOME/.config/Thunar/accels.scm

: rm $HOME/.config/Thunar/accels.scm.OLD

: echo "(gtk_accel_path \"/ThunarActions/uca-action-$ID\" \"$myshortcut\")" >> $HOME/.config/Thunar/accels.scm

: #+END_SRC

** Integration into FreeCommander

[[http://freecommander.com/en/summary/][FreeCommander]] is a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_manager#Orthodox_file_managers][orthodox file manager]] for Windows. You can add

appendfilename as an favorite command:

- Tools → Favorite tools → Favorite tools edit... (S-C-y)

  - Create new toolbar (if none is present)

  - Icon for "Add new item"

    - Name: appendfilename

    - Program or folder: 

	- =appendfilename.bat= looks like: (please do modify the paths to meet your requirement)

        : C:\Python36\python.exe C:\Users\YOURUSERNAME\src\appendfilename\appendfilename\__init__.py %*

	  : REM optionally: set /p DUMMY=Hit ENTER to continue...

    - Start folder: =%ActivDir%=

    - Parameter: =%ActivSel%=

    - [X] Enclose each selected item with ="=

    - Hotkey: select next available one such as =Ctrl-1= (it gets overwritten below)

	- remember its name such as "Favorite tool 01"

  - OK

So far, we've got =appendfilename= added as a favorite command which can be

accessed via menu or icon toolbar and the selected keyboard shortcut.

If you want to assign a different keyboard shortcut than =Ctrl-1= like

=Alt-a= you might as well follow following procedure:

- Tools → Define keyboard shortcuts...

  - Scroll down to the last section "Favorite tools"

  - locate the name such as "Favorite tool 01"

  - Define your shortcut of choice like =Alt-a= in the right hand side of the window

    - If your shortcut is taken, you'll get a notification. Don't

      overwrite essential shortcuts you're using.

  - OK

* Related tools and workflows

This tool is part of a tool-set which I use to manage my digital files

such as photographs. My work-flows are described in [[http://karl-voit.at/managing-digital-photographs/][this blog posting]]

you might like to read.

In short:

For *tagging*, please refer to [[https://github.com/novoid/filetags][filetags]] and its documentation.

See [[https://github.com/novoid/date2name][date2name]] for easily adding ISO *time-stamps or date-stamps* to

files.

For *easily naming and tagging* files within file browsers that allow

integration of external tools, see [[https://github.com/novoid/appendfilename][appendfilename]] (once more) and

[[https://github.com/novoid/filetags][filetags]].

Moving to the archive folders is done using [[https://github.com/novoid/move2archive][move2archive]].

Having tagged photographs gives you many advantages. For example, I

automatically [[https://github.com/novoid/set_desktop_background_according_to_season][choose my *desktop background image* according to the

current season]].

Files containing an ISO time/date-stamp gets indexed by the

filename-module of [[https://github.com/novoid/Memacs][Memacs]].

Here is [[https://glt18-programm.linuxtage.at/events/321.html][a 45 minute talk I gave]] at [[https://glt18.linuxtage.at/][Linuxtage Graz 2018]] presenting the

idea of and workflows related to appendfilename and other handy tools

for file management:

[[https://media.ccc.de/v/GLT18_-_321_-_en_-_g_ap147_004_-_201804281550_-_the_advantages_of_file_name_conventions_and_tagging_-_karl_voit/][bin/2018-05-06 filetags demo slide for video preview with video button -- screenshots.png]]

* How to Thank Me

I'm glad you like my tools. If you want to support me:

- Send old-fashioned *postcard* per snailmail - I love personal feedback!

  - see [[http://tinyurl.com/j6w8hyo][my address]]

- Send feature wishes or improvements as an issue on GitHub

- Create issues on GitHub for bugs

- Contribute merge requests for bug fixes

- Check out my other cool [[https://github.com/novoid][projects on GitHub]]