Small BASH script to rename "Pasted image" and update markdown files

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For my usage, one of the biggest flaw is the “clipboard copy” for images, which is (currently) producing file names like “Pasted image 1.png”.

This is just impossible for me (with a lot of images, it’s just a mess).

So for now, for example during a meeting, i have a note somewhere (can be located anywhere). I’m pasting several images … all badly formatted (and save in my resources/ folder).

Then, when the capture session is done, i use this script that i just have to launch from the root folder of my vault, with an “alias” of the new name i want. So this script will :

  • correctly rename all “Pasted image […].png” to “provided_alias_001.png”, …
  • updates the markdown links in all .md files accordingly

To be tested / adapted on your side. Make a backup before ! And check the preview mode …

Usage : obsidian-rename-images.sh PREVIEW|RENAME <alias>

Example : obsidian-rename-images.sh PREVIEW important_meeting

Script (update “IMAGES_PATH” accordingly to where you store images) :

#!/bin/bash

MODE="$1"
DEST_PATTERN="$2"
IMAGE_PATTERN="Pasted image"
TEMP_MD="/var/tmp/obsidian-rename-image.$$"

# IMAGES_PATH="./"
IMAGES_PATH="resources/"

[[ ! -z "$3" ]] && IMAGE_PATTERN="$3"
[[ -z "${IMAGE_PATTERN}" || -z "${DEST_PATTERN}" ]] && echo "Usage: $(basename $0) PREVIEW|RENAME <dest_pattern> (<image_pattern>)\nExample: $(basename $0) PREVIEW 'webcast_css_' 'Pasted image' " && exit 1
[[ "$MODE" != "PREVIEW" && "$MODE" != "RENAME" ]] && echo "Usage: $(basename $0) PREVIEW|RENAME <dest_pattern> (<image_pattern>)\nExample: $(basename $0) PREVIEW 'webcast_css_' 'Pasted image' " && exit 1

find . -name "*.md" > "$TEMP_MD"

INC=1
ls -1 "${IMAGES_PATH}${IMAGE_PATTERN}"* 2>/dev/null | sort -n | while read CURRENT_IMAGE ; do
  # For each image ...
  EXT="${CURRENT_IMAGE##*.}"
  CURRENT_IMAGE_BASENAME=$(basename "$CURRENT_IMAGE")
  
  echo "> Image [$CURRENT_IMAGE_BASENAME]"
  
  OK=1
  while [[ "$OK" -ne 0 ]] ; do
    [[ "${#INC}" -eq 2 ]] && I="0${INC}"
    [[ "${#INC}" -eq 1 ]] && I="00${INC}"
    TARGET_IMAGE="${IMAGES_PATH}${DEST_PATTERN}_${I}.${EXT}"
    OK=0
    [[ -f "${TARGET_IMAGE}" ]] && INC=$(expr $INC + 1) && OK=1
  done
  
  # Rename image  
  case "$MODE" in
    "PREVIEW")
      echo "  - Renaming image file [${CURRENT_IMAGE}] to [${TARGET_IMAGE}]"
      ;;
    "RENAME")
      mv "${CURRENT_IMAGE}" "${TARGET_IMAGE}"
      ;;
  esac

  # Markdown files
  # ![[Pasted image 3.png]]
  cat "$TEMP_MD" | while read MD_FILE ; do
    NB_OCC_IN_MD_FILE=$(grep "$CURRENT_IMAGE_BASENAME" "${MD_FILE}" | wc -l)
    if [[ "${NB_OCC_IN_MD_FILE}" -ne 0 ]] ; then
      case "$MODE" in
        "PREVIEW")
          echo "  - Rewriting markdown in [$MD_FILE] : '![[$CURRENT_IMAGE_BASENAME]]' to '![]($TARGET_IMAGE)'"
          ;;
        "RENAME")
          sed -i -e "s&!\[\[$CURRENT_IMAGE_BASENAME\]\]&![]($TARGET_IMAGE)&g" "${MD_FILE}"
          ;;
      esac
    fi 
  done
  
  echo ""
  
  INC=$(expr $INC + 1)
done

rm -f "$TEMP_MD" >/dev/null 2>&1
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