Copying files with difficult names

Llama · 2009-09-01 07:26:55

Hi,

I've got a bunch of files with names containing 'not recommended' characters like [?']. Curiously, colon also presents a problem, though it isn't mentioned among difficult characters. I just want to copy them; Dolphin and Krusader won't oblige. Is there an easy answer to the problem?

Rasi · 2009-09-01 08:55:24

mc will copy them just fine...

mikesd · 2009-09-01 08:58:33

You can copy them in the console. Just escape the : and ? like:

cp weird\:filename\? better_filename

dmartins · 2009-09-01 11:07:47

You can also use the rename command to remove or change the bad characters to something else. For instance:
rename \? '' * will remove all ? characters.
rename \: - * will replace all colons with hyphens.

sand_man · 2009-09-01 11:15:29

mikesd wrote:

You can copy them in the console. Just escape the : and ? like:
cp weird\:filename\? better_filename

Sometimes its also easier to just wrap it up in " and tab complete it

lolilolicon · 2009-09-01 11:22:36

Then Dolphin and Krusader both suck.

pcmanfm will do it for you. Any character is fine.

In addition to what mikesd said, if your file name starts with "-" you can put "--" before them to avoid error, like this

$ cp -- '--weirdfonkyname' somewhereelse

Arch Linux

#1 2009-09-01 07:26:55

Copying files with difficult names

#2 2009-09-01 08:55:24

Re: Copying files with difficult names

#3 2009-09-01 08:58:33

Re: Copying files with difficult names

#4 2009-09-01 11:07:47

Re: Copying files with difficult names

#5 2009-09-01 11:15:29

Re: Copying files with difficult names

#6 2009-09-01 11:22:36

Re: Copying files with difficult names

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