# rename-files

A CLI application that takes a regex patten for search and replace and then recursively renames files according to the regex pattern.

Uses `clap` to define and parse command-line arguments:

- `-s` or `--search`: The regex pattern to search for
- `-r` or `--replace`: The replacement pattern
- `-d` or `--directory`: The starting directory (optional, defaults to current directory)
- `--dry-run`: Option to preview changes without actually renaming files

Recursively walks through the directory structure using `walkdir`.

Applies the regex pattern to each file name and performs the replacement if there's a match.

Provides a dry-run option to preview changes before making them.

```bash
# Replace "old" with "new" in all file names
cargo run -- --search "old" --replace "new"

# Replace numbers with "X" in all file names, starting from a specific directory
cargo run -- --search "[0-9]" --replace "X" --directory "/path/to/dir"

# Preview changes without actually renaming (dry run)
cargo run -- --search "test_" --replace "" --dry-run
```

The program will:

- Only rename files (not directories)
- Show you what changes it's making
- Handle errors gracefully
- Allow you to preview changes with --dry-run before making actual changes

Safety features:

- Checks if the new filename would be different before attempting to rename
- Uses proper error handling throughout
- Provides feedback about what's being renamed
- Allows preview of changes before making them

> Remember that regex patterns are powerful and should be used carefully, especially when batch renaming files. It's recommended to always use the --dry-run option first to preview the changes before actually renaming files.