Day 5: File management.

‘Wait!’ you say ‘You live at the terminal, what is wrong with ls, cp, or mv?’ Well, most of the time, that is fine, but there are times when I need to rename a bunch of files (cleaning up my MP3 collection) or quickly review some source files. In those cases, what do I use?

vifm

vifm is a ‘file manager with curses interface, which provides Vim-like environment for managing objects within file systems, extended with some useful ideas from mutt.’ When you start it up, you are great with a split window with directory listing on both side. Using the normal vi keys moving around. You can select multiple files, and then do things like mass rename or move the file to the other pane. Very quick and easy. I have used this to bulk rename mp3s in a directory to my new naming standard. I could write a script, but I have messed that up in the past, and part of why I need this type of tool to clean up.

ranger

ranger is a ‘VIM-inspired filemanager for the console’. This is a tri-pane arrangement Contents of the parent directory, current directory, details of what you are looking at. This last part is the useful part. If you have selected a directory, it will show the contents of the directory. If you are looking at a text file, it will show the contents of the file. The lets you review many files without using a pager or an editor to review the contents.

Daily totals

Score time! Yesterday left us with 105 points. On the score. Using a tui filemanager, 10 points. 5 points for the bulk renaming. I have done any scripting with these type of tools, so no more points there. Total today, 15 points, and a grand running total is now 120.