How to Rename Files in Python: Removing Underscores and Adding Extensions

Learn how to find files with underscores and no extensions in a directory, then rename them by removing the underscores and adding a file extension using Python.
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/75113080/ asked by the user 'Rick T' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/676430/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/75113220/ provided by the user 'The Pilot Dude' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/13739174/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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How to Rename Files in Python: Removing Underscores and Adding Extensions

Have you ever faced the challenge of cleaning up files in a directory? If you have files that contain an underscore and no extension, this can be a common issue. For instance, you might have filenames like file_name_2_ or filename3, and you'd like to remove those pesky underscores while adding a specific extension like .jpg to all suitable files. In this guide, we'll walk you through how to achieve this using Python.

Understanding the Problem

In Python, when you want to rename files based on specific criteria, the usual approach involves listing the files in the directory and applying certain conditions to filter them. Your goal here is to:

Identify files that contain underscores at the end of their names and no file extension.

Remove the underscores and append a file extension (like .jpg).

Example Directory Files

Given the following list of files:

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You want them to be renamed to:

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Step-by-Step Solution

We'll break down the solution into manageable steps, utilizing Python's os module:

1. Import Required Module

First, you need to import the os module, which allows you to interact with the operating system to manipulate files and directories.

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2. Specify Your Path

Define the path where your target files are located. Make sure to use a string that clearly points to your directory:

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3. Iterate Through the Directory

Next, you'll employ a loop to go through each file in the directory:

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4. Check Conditions for Renaming

Within the loop, you want to check for two conditions:

Does the file name end with an underscore?

Does the file not have an extension?

Here's how you can do this using if statements:

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5. Print and Rename the Files

If the conditions are met, print out the filename and execute the renaming process:

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In this line, str(i)[:-1] removes the last character (the underscore), and .jpg is appended.

Full Code Example

Putting it all together, here’s the complete code snippet to perform the operation:

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Conclusion

By following the steps outlined above, you've learned how to effectively find and rename files in a directory that have an underscore and no extension using Python. This not only helps in organizing files better but also ensures that your file directory remains tidy and systematic.

Next time you encounter files that need a little cleanup, remember this approach and save yourself time and effort!

If you have any questions or additional tips about file management in Python, feel free to share in the comments below.