Bash - replace spaces with underscore but replace multiple spaces with one












1














I use rename to underscore spaces in filenames, simply with:



rename "s/ /_/g" *


but I encounter the problem that files downloaded from the internet often have multiple spaces. A nasty workaround I used (but works only for 3 spaces which in most cases is enough), but there has to be a more elegant approach than:



rename "s/   /_/g" *; rename "s/  /_/g" *; rename "s/ /_/g" *





regular-expression filenames rename







share|improve this question




















  • 2




    Why not rename 's/ [ ]*/_/g' * ?
    – Thomas Dickey
    7 hours ago










  • that is my answer, THX :-)
    – nath
    7 hours ago
















1














I use rename to underscore spaces in filenames, simply with:



rename "s/ /_/g" *


but I encounter the problem that files downloaded from the internet often have multiple spaces. A nasty workaround I used (but works only for 3 spaces which in most cases is enough), but there has to be a more elegant approach than:



rename "s/   /_/g" *; rename "s/  /_/g" *; rename "s/ /_/g" *





regular-expression filenames rename







share|improve this question




















  • 2




    Why not rename 's/ [ ]*/_/g' * ?
    – Thomas Dickey
    7 hours ago










  • that is my answer, THX :-)
    – nath
    7 hours ago














1












1








1







I use rename to underscore spaces in filenames, simply with:



rename "s/ /_/g" *


but I encounter the problem that files downloaded from the internet often have multiple spaces. A nasty workaround I used (but works only for 3 spaces which in most cases is enough), but there has to be a more elegant approach than:



rename "s/   /_/g" *; rename "s/  /_/g" *; rename "s/ /_/g" *





regular-expression filenames rename







share|improve this question















I use rename to underscore spaces in filenames, simply with:



rename "s/ /_/g" *


but I encounter the problem that files downloaded from the internet often have multiple spaces. A nasty workaround I used (but works only for 3 spaces which in most cases is enough), but there has to be a more elegant approach than:



rename "s/   /_/g" *; rename "s/  /_/g" *; rename "s/ /_/g" *





regular-expression filenames rename




regular-expression filenames rename






share|improve this question















share|improve this question













share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited 14 mins ago









Jeff Schaller

38.6k1053125




38.6k1053125










asked 7 hours ago









nath

858425




858425








  • 2




    Why not rename 's/ [ ]*/_/g' * ?
    – Thomas Dickey
    7 hours ago










  • that is my answer, THX :-)
    – nath
    7 hours ago














  • 2




    Why not rename 's/ [ ]*/_/g' * ?
    – Thomas Dickey
    7 hours ago










  • that is my answer, THX :-)
    – nath
    7 hours ago








2




2




Why not rename 's/ [ ]*/_/g' * ?
– Thomas Dickey
7 hours ago




Why not rename 's/ [ ]*/_/g' * ?
– Thomas Dickey
7 hours ago












that is my answer, THX :-)
– nath
7 hours ago




that is my answer, THX :-)
– nath
7 hours ago










1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes


















2














The following worked for me:



rename 's/s+/_/g' *


It will match one to unlimited instances of white space



Note this would also work for newlines and tabs, however based on your use case I think that would be preferable and not unwanted? But to match only space specifically you could do:



rename 's/ +/_/g' *





share|improve this answer



















  • 1




    even simpler, THX
    – nath
    7 hours ago











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1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes








1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes









active

oldest

votes






active

oldest

votes









2














The following worked for me:



rename 's/s+/_/g' *


It will match one to unlimited instances of white space



Note this would also work for newlines and tabs, however based on your use case I think that would be preferable and not unwanted? But to match only space specifically you could do:



rename 's/ +/_/g' *





share|improve this answer



















  • 1




    even simpler, THX
    – nath
    7 hours ago
















2














The following worked for me:



rename 's/s+/_/g' *


It will match one to unlimited instances of white space



Note this would also work for newlines and tabs, however based on your use case I think that would be preferable and not unwanted? But to match only space specifically you could do:



rename 's/ +/_/g' *





share|improve this answer



















  • 1




    even simpler, THX
    – nath
    7 hours ago














2












2








2






The following worked for me:



rename 's/s+/_/g' *


It will match one to unlimited instances of white space



Note this would also work for newlines and tabs, however based on your use case I think that would be preferable and not unwanted? But to match only space specifically you could do:



rename 's/ +/_/g' *





share|improve this answer














The following worked for me:



rename 's/s+/_/g' *


It will match one to unlimited instances of white space



Note this would also work for newlines and tabs, however based on your use case I think that would be preferable and not unwanted? But to match only space specifically you could do:



rename 's/ +/_/g' *






share|improve this answer














share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer








edited 7 hours ago

























answered 7 hours ago









Jesse_b

11.9k23064




11.9k23064








  • 1




    even simpler, THX
    – nath
    7 hours ago














  • 1




    even simpler, THX
    – nath
    7 hours ago








1




1




even simpler, THX
– nath
7 hours ago




even simpler, THX
– nath
7 hours ago


















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