Advanced files rename on SFTP/FTP server

With WinSCP scripting, you can use an operation mask to do simple batch changes to file names like:

• changing an extension: mv *.htm *.html
• adding a suffix: mv *.html *-backup.html
• changing leading characters: mv new*.* old*.*

But for more advanced rename operations, you need to use your favorite scripting language language, like PowerShell, to generate a new name and use WinSCP .NET assembly for the actual rename (or generate a script file).

The following example prefixes all files in a specified directory with a timestamp in format YYYY-MM-DD-.

param (
    # Use Generate URL function to obtain a value for -sessionUrl parameter. 
    $sessionUrl = "sftp://user:mypassword;fingerprint=ssh-rsa-xx-xx-xx@example.com/",
    $remotePath = "/path"
)
 
try
{
    # Load WinSCP .NET assembly
    Add-Type -Path "WinSCPnet.dll"
 
    # Setup session options
    $sessionOptions = New-Object WinSCP.SessionOptions
    $sessionOptions.ParseUrl($sessionUrl)
 
    try
    {
        # Connect
        Write-Host "Connecting..."
        $session = New-Object WinSCP.Session
        $session.Open($sessionOptions)
 
        # Retrieve file list
        Write-Host "Listing..."
        $files = $session.EnumerateRemoteFiles($remotePath, "*", [WinSCP.EnumerationOptions]::None)
 
        Write-Host "Renaming..."
 
        $timestampPrefix = $(Get-Date -f "yyyy-MM-dd") + "-"
 
        foreach ($fileInfo in $files)
        {
            $oldName = $fileInfo.Name
            $oldPath = $fileInfo.FullName
            
            $newName = ($timestampPrefix + $oldName)
            $newPath = $session.CombinePaths($remotePath, $newName)
 
            Write-Host ("{0} => {1}" -f $oldPath, $newPath)
            $session.MoveFile($oldPath, $newPath)
        }
 
        Write-Host "Done"
    }
    finally
    {
        # Disconnect, clean up
        $session.Dispose()
    }
 
    exit 0
}
catch [Exception]
{
    Write-Host ("Error: {0}" -f $_.Exception.Message)
    exit 1
}