#!/bin/bash IFS=$'\n' if [ -z "$1" ] then echo rename files in current folder replacing arg1 with arg2. exit fi for file in $( ls | grep "$1" ) do echo "$file" '->' "$( echo $file | sed s/"$1"/"$2"/g )" done echo 'sure?' read i for file in $( ls | grep "$1" ) do mv -iv -- "$file" "$( echo $file | sed s/"$1"/"$2"/g )" done