“convmv” is a command-line tool designed to convert filenames from one character encoding to another. It specifically focuses on converting the encoding of filenames themselves, rather than the content of files. It is particularly useful when dealing with filenames that are encoded using different character sets or encodings.
The primary purpose of “convmv” is to help ensure proper character encoding and compatibility of filenames across different systems or environments. In some cases, filenames may be encoded using a character set that is not supported or recognized by a particular system or application. This can lead to issues with displaying, accessing, or manipulating files with such filenames.
By using “convmv,” you can convert the character encoding of filenames to a desired target encoding that is compatible with your system or application. It allows you to specify the source encoding of the filenames, the target encoding you want to convert them to, and the directory or file pattern on which you want to perform the conversion.
The tool works by traversing the specified directories or matching files based on the given pattern and converting the character encoding of the filenames accordingly. It takes care to preserve the file hierarchy and content, focusing solely on the filenames themselves. This means that the content of the files remains unchanged, and only the encoding of the filenames is modified.
“convmv” supports a wide range of character encodings, including popular ones like UTF-8, ASCII, ISO-8859-1, and many others. It can handle conversions between different encodings, allowing you to ensure consistency and compatibility of filenames across systems with varying encoding requirements.
In addition to encoding conversions, “convmv” provides options for handling special cases, such as converting invalid or unmappable characters, skipping certain files, and performing dry runs to preview the changes before applying them.
It is worth noting that “convmv” operates at the command-line level and is primarily intended for use in Unix-like systems, such as Linux. It is often included in standard software repositories for easy installation and usage.
convmv Command Examples
1. Test filename encoding conversion (don’t actually change the filename):
# convmv -f from_encoding -t to_encoding input_file
2. Convert filename encoding and rename the file to the new encoding:
# convmv -f from_encoding -t to_encoding --notest input_file
Summary
In summary, “convmv” is a command-line tool that focuses on converting the character encoding of filenames. It helps ensure proper compatibility and consistency of filenames across different systems or environments. By using “convmv,” you can convert the encoding of filenames from one character set to another, allowing for better handling and display of filenames that may be encoded differently.