Hi Joe, here is a minimally modified version that works fine. The rename will fail if the target dir does not exist so I have added a line to make it if it does not. 

#!/usr/bin/perl -w
use strict;

my $dir = "c:/test/"; 
my $from = '.pl';
my $to   = 'A.pl';
my $newdir = "c:/test/test/";

# make the target dir if it does not exist
unless (-d $newdir) {
    mkdir $newdir or die "Unable to make dir $newdir $!\n";
}

my $count = 0;
while (<$dir*$from>) {         
    my ($old,$new,$full);           
    $full = $_;             
    $new = $old =  substr $full, length $dir;  
    $new =~ s/$from$/$to/; 
    
    print "Full name of original file is $full \n";
    print "Name of original file is $old \n";
    print "Full name of new file is $newdir$new \n";
    
    $count++ if rename $full, $newdir.$new or die "Error renaming $!\n
+";
}


print "$count Files renamed!" if $count;

# everything after the __END__ token is ignored by Perl

__END__

# here is script with comments

[download]
# first the indentation does not help you read this. 
# we indent to help identify blocks of code like:

if ($this) {
    # do stuff
}
else {
    # do other stuff
}
# end of the if then else
# so we are back at left margin

#!/usr/bin/perl -w  <- good
     use strict;    <- good

        my $dir = "c:/Xwords/";
        my $n=length "c:/Xwords/"; # confusing why use $n why not $len
+gth 
                                   # also why not length $dir
                                   # that is what you want afterall
                                   # why type you dir twice: laziness 
+and typos 
        my $from = '.puz';
        my $to   = 'A.puz';
        my $newdir = "c:/Xwords/PrintedXwords/";
        
        while (<$dir*$from>) {                  
        my ($old,$new,$full);               
        $old = $full = $_;              # see how I coded this
        $new = $old =  substr $_,$n;    # it is the same but cleaner
        $new =~ s/$from$/$to/;                  
        
        # you have not coded anything so why the two blank lines
        print " \n \n";
        # if you put in a leading space you get...
        # if you and blank lines do this print "\n\n....
        print " full name of original file is $full \n";
        print " name of original file is $old \n";
        # you don't need the . to concatenate in a string
        # you just need "$newdir$new". also { are literals
        print " full name of new file is {$newdir.$new} \n";
        # if you want 3 blank lines go  \n\n\n"
        print " \n \n";
        
        # this need to be written as I did with no curlies
        # curlies are block delilimiters
        # you should check if this suceeds or fails as demonstrated
        # above with the or die "message $!" the message lets you 
        # say why you have died and $! if the Oh f@#$ varibale
        # where perl puts the error message. The die alone just 
        # gives a line number
        rename $full, {$newdir.$new};
     }

# I have added a counter that will register if all goes to plan
# this will always give you a cheery message regardless!
print "Files renamed !";

[download]
cheers

tachyon

s&&rsenoyhcatreve&&&s&n.+t&"$'$`$\"$\&"&ee&&y&srve&&d&&print

In reply to Re: Renaming and moving files to a subdirectory by tachyon
in thread Renaming and moving files to a subdirectory by Joes

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