README.md

@@ -1,70 +1,45 @@
-# Bulk String Replacer
-
-`bulk-string-replacer` is a Python-based command-line utility that allows for comprehensive search and replacement operations within file and folder names, as well as within file contents across specified directories. It's designed to handle bulk updates quickly and efficiently, with support for recursive directory traversal, hidden files, and a preview mode to review changes before they're applied.
+# bulk-string-replacer
+bulk-string-replacer is a tool designed to traverse directories and perform bulk string replacement in filenames, folder names, and file contents. Whether you want to target hidden items, preview changes before execution, or recursively navigate through folders, this versatile utility has you covered.
 
 ## Author
 
-Kevin Veen-Birkenbach
+Kevin Veen-Birkenbach  
 - 📧 Email: [kevin@veen.world](mailto:kevin@veen.world)
 - 🌍 Website: [https://www.veen.world/](https://www.veen.world/)
 
-## Background
+## Link to Original Conversation
 
-Learn more about the development and use cases of this tool in the [original conversation with the developer](https://chat.openai.com/share/cfdbc008-8374-47f8-8853-2e00ee27c959).
+For more context on how this tool was developed, you can [view the original conversation here](https://chat.openai.com/share/8567c240-3905-4521-b30e-04104015bb9b).
 
-## Getting Started
+## Setup and Usage
 
-### Prerequisites
+1. Clone the repository:
+    ```bash
+    git clone https://github.com/kevinveenbirkenbach/bulk-string-replacer.git
+    ```
 
-- Python 3.x
-- Access to a command-line interface
+2. Navigate to the cloned directory:
+    ```bash
+    cd bulk-string-replacer
+    ```
 
-### Installation
+3. Run the script with Python:
+    ```bash
+    python replace_string.py [path] [old_string] [new_string] [options]
+    ```
 
-Clone the repository to your local machine:
+### Options:
 
-```bash
-git clone https://github.com/kevinveenbirkenbach/bulk-string-replacer.git
-```
+- `--recursive`: Replace in all subdirectories and files.
+- `--folder`: Replace in folder names.
+- `--files`: Replace in file names.
+- `--content`: Replace inside file contents.
+- `--preview`: Preview changes without making actual replacements.
+- `--verbose`: Verbose mode - view detailed outputs.
+- `--hidden`: Target hidden files and folders.
 
-Change into the project directory:
-
-```bash
-cd bulk-string-replacer
-```
-
-### Usage
-
-Run the script with Python, specifying your target paths, the string to be replaced, and the new string:
-
-```bash
-python replace_string.py old_string --new-string new_string_value --options paths...
-```
-
-#### Options
-
-- `old_string`: The string you want to search for and replace.
-- `--new-string`: The string that will replace `old_string`. Defaults to an empty string if not specified.
-- `--recursive`: Recursively process all subdirectories and files within the given paths.
-- `--folder`: Replace string occurrences within folder names.
-- `--files`: Replace string occurrences within file names.
-- `--content`: Replace string occurrences within the contents of the files.
-- `--preview`: Preview changes without applying them. No files will be modified.
-- `--verbose`: Output detailed information during the execution of the script.
-- `--hidden`: Include hidden files and directories in the operation.
-
-Paths are specified at the end of the command, separated by spaces. For example:
-
-```bash
-python replace_string.py "search_string" --new-string "replacement_string" --recursive --verbose /path/to/first/directory /path/to/second/directory
-```
-
-Replace `/path/to/first/directory` and `/path/to/second/directory` with the actual paths you want to process.
-
-## Contributions
-
-Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a pull request or open an issue on the GitHub repository.
+For more detailed options, refer to the inline script help or the aforementioned conversation.
 
 ## License
 
-This project is open-sourced under the GNU Affero General Public License v3.0. See the `LICENSE` file for more details.
+This project is licensed under the GNU Affero General Public License v3.0. The full license text is available in the `LICENSE` file of this repository.

replace_string.py

@@ -8,17 +8,13 @@ def replace_content(path, old_string, new_string, preview, verbose):
     if old_string in content:
         new_content = content.replace(old_string, new_string)
         
-        print_verbose(f"Replacing content in: {path}",verbose)
+        if verbose:
+            print(f"Replacing content in: {path}")
             
         if not preview:
             with open(path, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as f:
                 f.write(new_content)
 
-def print_verbose(content,verbose):
-    if verbose:
-        print(content)
-    
-
 def process_directory(base_path, old_string, new_string, recursive, folder, files, content, preview, verbose, hidden):
     # Eine Liste, um die Pfade der umzubenennenden Ordner zu speichern
     directories_to_rename = []
@@ -38,7 +34,8 @@ def process_directory(base_path, old_string, new_string, recursive, folder, file
                 if old_string in f:
                     old_path = os.path.join(root, f)
                     new_path = os.path.join(root, f.replace(old_string, new_string))
-                    print_verbose(f"Renaming file from: {old_path} to: {new_path}",verbose)
+                    if verbose:
+                        print(f"Renaming file from: {old_path} to: {new_path}")
                     if not preview:
                         os.rename(old_path, new_path)
 
@@ -55,15 +52,16 @@ def process_directory(base_path, old_string, new_string, recursive, folder, file
 
     # Ordnernamen ändern nach dem os.walk() Durchlauf
     for old_path, new_path in directories_to_rename:
-        verbose(f"Renaming directory from: {old_path} to: {new_path}")
+        if verbose:
+            print(f"Renaming directory from: {old_path} to: {new_path}")
         if not preview:
             os.rename(old_path, new_path)
 
 def main():
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Replace strings in directories and files.")
-    parser.add_argument('paths', nargs='+', help="Paths in which replacements should be made.")
+    parser.add_argument('path', help="Path in which replacements should be made.")
     parser.add_argument('old_string', help="The string to be replaced.")
-    parser.add_argument('--new-string', dest='new_string', default="", help="The string to replace with. Default is empty string.")
+    parser.add_argument('new_string', nargs='?', default="", help="The string to replace with. Default is empty string.")
     parser.add_argument('--recursive', action='store_true', help="Replace in all subdirectories and files.")
     parser.add_argument('--folder', action='store_true', help="Replace in folder names.")
     parser.add_argument('--files', action='store_true', help="Replace in file names.")
@@ -71,16 +69,9 @@ def main():
     parser.add_argument('--preview', action='store_true', help="Preview changes without replacing.")
     parser.add_argument('--verbose', action='store_true', help="Verbose mode.")
     parser.add_argument('--hidden', action='store_true', help="Apply to hidden files and folders.")
-
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
-    # Use os.path.expanduser to expand the tilde to the home directory
-    expanded_paths = [os.path.expanduser(path) for path in args.paths]
-
-    for path in expanded_paths:
-        print_verbose(f"Replacing in path: {path}",args.verbose)
-        process_directory(path, args.old_string, args.new_string, args.recursive, args.folder, args.files, args.content, args.preview, args.verbose, args.hidden)
+    process_directory(args.path, args.old_string, args.new_string, args.recursive, args.folder, args.files, args.content, args.preview, args.verbose, args.hidden)
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     main()
-