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CatoPbx
Inspiring
September 28, 2023
Question

A script to batch rename files, create corresponding folders, move files, create zip files?

  • September 28, 2023
  • 1 reply
  • 2317 views

I want to run script to batch rename images in a folder that I have placed png files into, then batch create sub-folders based on each individual image’s new name into a different folder. Lastly, I would like to move the png image, and also create a zip file of each individual image and save in its corresponding sub-folder.

 

Specifically, I have 2 existing folders on my Mac desktop “For Processing” and “Processing Completed”. In the “For Processing” folder, I will add any number of png images that I have created with various filenames. When it comes time that I need to process, I rename the png images to a more meaningful and consistent naming convention eg. Map-001.png, Map-002.png, etc. Then in the different folder “Processing Completed”, I create sub-folders for each image, eg sub-folder named Map-001, the next Map-002, etc. Inside each of these sub-folders I then move the png file, as well as save a corresponding zip file, ie. “Map-001.png” and “Map-001.zip” go inside the Map-001 sub-folder.

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1 reply

Stephen Marsh
Community Expert
Community Expert
September 28, 2023

Where are you stuck in creating your script?

 

As you are on a Mac and this is all Finder-level stuff, you could do it with AppleScript without even worrying about having any interaction from Adobe apps.

CatoPbx
CatoPbxAuthor
Inspiring
September 29, 2023

I have never usedAppleScript - I'll need to learn it ...

Stephen Marsh
Community Expert
Community Expert
September 29, 2023

OK, what one method as an experienced coder would you use - in your opinion/preference? Also some coding clues in the right direction would help me, as someone quite inexperienced.


I'm not an experienced coder, I just learn things as needed.

 

JavaScript will mostly get you there, but you are still going to need to find out how to run a system-level script from the JS to ZIP the files. Apart from that, you can probably do everything else, but you still need to execute the script from an Adobe app or Visual Studio Code debugger etc.

 

I'd probably scour the web for AppleScript, and even then, it may still need to make a system call or two, I don't know.

 

ExifTool is going to be pretty easy for the most part (but the syntax is always fun, but there is a great support forum), but again, you will need to patch on a step for the ZIP creation.

 

Python is a good choice, you may even be able to get ChatGPT to write the script for you... And it might even work! 

 

I don't have a silver bullet for you.