Add file number by creation date

add-filename-number.py

#!/usr/bin/env python3

""" List files in order of time (see default for `ls -t`)

Add a numeric prefix to each file name.

If multiple folders are specified, the count restarts from one for each folder.
"""

import os
from pathlib import Path
import subprocess
import sys
import argparse


parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
parser.add_argument("--execute", "-X", action="store_true", help="Actually perform the rename")
parser.add_argument("targets", nargs="+", help="Folders of files to rename")
args = parser.parse_args()


for target in args.targets:
    target_p = Path(target)

    command = "ls -tr".split()
    command.append(target)

    proc = subprocess.Popen(command , stdout=subprocess.PIPE, text=True)

    stdout, _ = proc.communicate()
    files = [target_p/f for f in stdout.split("\n") if f]

    for i in range( len(files) ):
        n = i+1
        oldpath = files[i].absolute()
        newpath = oldpath.parent / f"{str(n).zfill(3)}-{oldpath.name}"
        print(f"{oldpath} --> {newpath}")
        if args.execute:
            os.rename(oldpath, newpath)