Can Dired query replace use regular expression to rename a group of files?

Question

So I have long list of files that I'm trying to use regex to rename but, it looks like it does not take standard regular expressions. I’m sure I’m just doing this incorrectly.

After entering dired and C-x C-q to make the files writable. I do M-% or query-replace-regexp to start the regex file rename but it does not work.

I tried doing a query replace for .eps\d.* to match everything then a replace with .mkv with no luck. What is the proper way to complete this task?

Starting File list example:

Show.S03E01.eps3.0.modifer322344.mkv
Show.S03E02.eps3.1.someihtng.else.mkv
Show.S03E03.eps3.2.lega.matters.mkv
Show.S03E04.eps3.3.data.par2.mkv

Finished File list example:

Show.S03E01.mkv
Show.S03E02.mkv
Show.S03E03.mkv
Show.S03E04.mkv

Answer 1

I do M-% to start the regex file rename but it does not work.

M-% runs the command query-replace

C-M-% runs the command query-replace-regexp

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I see that it does not like backslash as an escape like \d for digits.

Indeed; a digit is matched with [0-9] or [[:digit:]]

You can read about the regular expression syntax supported by Emacs with:

• C-hig (emacs)Search
• C-hig (elisp)Regular Expressions

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I tried doing a query replace for .eps\d.* to match everything then a replace with .mkv

Search for \.eps[0-9].*
or perhaps \.eps[0-9].*\.mkv