Linux – rename files in a directory with Vim

batch-renamelinuxrenamevim

If I open a directory in vim using vim . I will get a file-browser-type interface of the current directory. From there I am expected to browse to a file, and then start editing it.

I want to use this interface to rename files. Normal vim rename works like %s/term1/term2/, but when I try it out here, it returns: E21: Cannot make changes, 'modifiable' is off.

Is there a way to turn modifiable on in this scenario, or does this simply mean that it cannot be done like this with vim?

Best Answer

Yes, it can't be done like that.

That "file-browser-type interface" is provided by a built-in plugin called netrw. It is read-only so yeah, you can't modify it.

You are supposed to hit R to rename the file under the cursor or the marked files.

See :help netrw, :help netrw-browse-maps and more specifically :help netrw-R.

If you want to batch-rename files using Vim you should try qmv from the renameutils package or vidir from the moreutils package (thanks to Dmitry for the heads up).

Related Solutions

Vim – How to Write File as Super-User

:w !sudo tee % >/dev/null`

Explanation: With !, you can execute programs. By prefixing it with :w, the file's content (the stuff you have in vim, not the original file, more precisly: the buffer) will be given to the command on standard input. % is replaced by the file name, and the >/dev/null avoids that the content is again printed to the screen (which is the usual behavior of tee).

I've found an even shorter way. dd does not print to stdout so you can save the null thing.

:w !sudo dd of=%

‍

Same is for :r, which inserts the output of the given command, so you can for example insert the current date into your file by using :r !date

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Vim – How to Write File as Super-User

Related Question